Greener on the other side
by NihilisticAmbition313
Summary: -Chapters 1 to 28 have been revised- After a woman who is a living replica of Aeris is discovered, Vincent takes on a vested interest in her origins, while Tifa struggles against the potential threat that this woman poses...
1. Flowers left behind, but not forgotten

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

-Prologue-

Cloud still had a hard time with these kinds of things, things that had to do with expressing himself, even though he had gotten much better at it recently. Still, for as much newfound confidence as he'd grown since saving the world once again and making peace with Aeris and himself, this was a biggie...

No, this was _the_ biggie, and, there was no turning back. No retreat. He'd let it fall out of his mouth and hang in the air between he and Tifa, and he couldn't take it back. It was there in Tifa's face for her consideration, period.

His mind and his heart raced a million miles a minute as he awaited Tifa's answer. Half of him believed she purposely tormented him by delaying. The other half was starting to feel old insecurities creeping in from the back of his mind.

_Geez, did she even hear me? Did I do it wrong? No, I got on one knee and everything...Should I have said please? Do guys say please when they propose? Maybe I should've said please, but, that'd be begging right?_

Cloud's internal dialogue was getting the better of him, as Tifa's stunned silence was a little more than he could bear. Feeling his confidence inching toward ruin, Cloud decided it was time to press the issue. If she said no, then oh well. He'd tried. Not his fault if she turned him down, right?

"Teef? Did you hear me?" Cloud forced from his mouth.

"...O-Of course I heard you. How the hell could I have _not_ heard you?" Tifa stammered, glaring down at the little boy with skinned knees who'd become a fine, albeit quirky, young man.

"Right...So, umm...Got an answer or whatever?"

"Umm..."

Tifa's reddish-brown eyes began to sweep the interior of the new Seventh Heaven. She was searching desperately for a distraction, _any_ kind of distraction. A customer, a ring from the telephone, Yuffie bursting through the front entrance door in her annoying fashion, _anything_. But all that was there in her bar was a man, a ring, and a question hanging in the air.

"...I screwed up." Cloud suddenly hissed unto himself, rising to his boots.

"No, Cloud, no!" Tifa rushed to assure him.

"Yes I did, in typical Cloud fashion." the once-wannabe SOLDIER bashed himself as he felt himself reverting.

" No, you didn't screw up, Cloud, not in _any_ fashion. It's just, you really blindsided me there._ Really_ blindsided me."

"Yeah, well...I was never good at subtle. I just figured I'd come right out, y'know? The heck with it."

"Oh, you came right out for sure, man." Tifa said with a nervous laugh as she anxiously stroked her right bicep.

"...And?"

"...Cloud, this is all so sudden."

"I know...Listen, Teef...You know I suck at stuff like this, so bear with me."

"Okay."

Cloud wanted desperately for one of Red XIII's meaningful reflections or even a darkly shaded musing of Vincent's to take over his thought-to-speech stream, but no such luck. He was on his own, whether he sucked at it or not...

"Tifa, you remember when I was sick...I avoided you, shut you out. I turned away from you when I needed you the most, and frankly, I was a jerk about it all."

"Oh, you'll get no argument from _me_." Tifa hurriedly informed Cloud.

"I know, I know...Look, you were there, you know what happened. I beat Sephiroth again, for good. I got cured of Geostigma. And also, Tifa, I got some damn sense talked into me by an old friend. She kicked my ass the way only she could do. Told me to wake up and see what all I got around me, and always had even when I treated it like shit."

"She did all that, did she?" Tifa asked in deadpan.

"Yeah..It worked, at least, I'm trying to make it work. The way I see it is, I don't wanna let another day get past me, Teef. Everything that's gone on the past couple years...shoot, the past as-far-back-as-I-can-remember. All the shit I've been through, a good and plenty bit of it self-imposed mind you. I guess...No, I don't guess. That's what I'm saying, Tifa." Cloud emphasized, almost wanting to grab Tifa by the shoulders to stress his point.

"Wha...?"

"I _don't_ guess. I _won't_ just guess, not anymore. No more waiting around on the sidelines, scared to be happy, scared to be myself Not for me."

"..."

"Think about it, Tifa. What did I do all that saving the world stuff for if I'm not _out_ there in the world, yeah?"

"True." Tifa agreed, enthralled with this new attitude that Cloud was displaying.

"...Aeris died, yet we're still here. She loved life and she didn't wanna die. I know for sure she wanted to live."

"Is that what this is about? Pleasing Aeris and her memory?" Tifa asked, now growing cynical.

"You didn't let me finish. Yeah it's about Aeris, but only partially...I wanna be out there, Tifa. I wanna live life for Aeris and everybody else who died. I wanna live to honor their memories and all that stuff that I used to not think was important, so in that sense, yeah it's about Aeris."

"Well, when you put it that way..." Tifa breathed as the tears welled and coated her sparkling cognac-hued eyes.

"...The world's pretty big and scary though, even with a Buster Sword. I could use a partner. There's room on Fenrir for two...Ride with me?"

"...Yes."

"Huh?"

"Cloud, yes! Let's do it! Let's get married!"

Cloud's new bride-to-be threw herself unto his body, and he just barely caught her and took her into his embrace. Tifa cried as Cloud smooted her soft amber locks, and he too felt a tear or two spill from his glowing blue eyes. The two of them remained locked in each other's arms for what seemed like hours, in the middle of Seventh Heaven. It was only them, planted in their own long pent-up revery come to life.

_Phew...Now, was that so hard Strife? Nervous over nothing..._

--

Chapter #1-"Flowers left behind, but not forgotten"

One week later, it's the morning of the day before Cloud and Tifa's wedding...

"For the millionth time, _hold still_. Please."

"Sorry, Shera. I'm just so nervous, I can't help it.."

"Well, if you don't get a grip I'm going to end up pricking you, _again_."

"Better not get poked, Teef. We're out of bandages." Yuffie pointed out, halfway jokingly and fifty-percent seriously.

In Tifa's bedroom above Seventh Heaven, Shera Highwind had been working all that morning on altering the wedding gown she donated to Tifa. The bride-to-be wasn't making it easy with her fidgety behavior.

"...Almost done. Just one more..."

"..."

"...There. Finished." Shera declared as she stepped back to admire her work.

"How does it feel?" Yuffie asked, herself having been fitted for her bridesmaid gown the day before.

"It feels great, Yuffie. Snug, but not too tight." Tifa replied, admiring herself in the tall mirror in her bedroom-turned-Shera's-workshop.

"You look stunning, Tifa. Absolutely stunning."

"Thanks, Shera." Tifa replied, blushing from cheek to cheek. "And thank you for letting me wear this."

"No worries. I don't need it anymore, so you can pass it down to your daughter."

"Ah, ha. One thing at a time, okay? I'd like to get married before I start thinking about daughters and sons." Tifa giggled, blushing.

"Of course."

"Besides." Yuffie chimed in "I think I'd be getting married way before Tifa's daughter. Maybe I could wear the dress."

"Sure thing, Yuff. Just find a fiance first."

"Whoa, I'm not in any hurry to get hitched yet." Yuffie swore.

"Well, Shera's already married and Marlene's just a kid. Who else am I gonna throw the bouquet to? Cait? Heh heh."

A sick feeling came over Yuffie, but it had nothing to do with the prospect of matrimony or Tifa's humorisms.

"Oh, shit."

"...Yuffie, what is it?" Tifa asked, immediately sensing something was amiss.

"Uh...Teef, you are so gonna laugh about this later." Yuffie nervously chuckled as a bead of sweat dripped down her forehead.

"Yuffie, what is the matter?"

"Teef, p-please don't kick my ass."

"I _will_ if you don't speak up!" The already-anxious bride yelled!

"I..._We_ forgot to pick up the flowers."

"_We!?_" Shera shrieked. "_You _were supposed to pick up the flowers Yuffie!"

"_You_ were supposed to remind me!"

"I was busy!"

"So was I!"

"Guys!" Tifa shouted. "I don't give a rat's ass who forgot the flowers! Just run and get 'em!"

"Right! I'll go tell Cid to fire up the big bird!" Yuffie declared as she took her hasty retreat.

"...Boy, as excited as she was to be my maid of honor she sure has done a shitty job." Tifa complained, normally not being one who complained about others' folly.

"Oh, don't be so hard on her. She didn't mean any harm." Shera said in Yuffie's defense.

"Yeah...I'm just so antsy and I'm taking it out all over the place. Ever since Cloud proposed I've been a nervous train wreck."

"I know, sweetheart, I know. But just think, as on edge as you are is probably how on edge Cloud is."

"Yeah right. He's probably already on the Highwind on the bridge in his tux waiting for me."

"Ha, ha. Maybe."

"I wonder where he is anyway, for real. I haven't seen him since this morning."

"No?"

"Nope. He left. Said he had somewhere to be and took off."

"On Fenrir?"

"No, he left the bike, so I assume he's still in town."

"Well I hope he hasn't wandered too far. He's to get his tux fitted today."

"He won't forget. The boy's not a flake, not anymore." Tifa joked about her fiance, making Shera giggle.

--

"There you are. We been lookin' all over for you. Turnin' off ya damn PHS."

"We did not think you would be here of all places."

"...Me neither, to tell you the truth." Cloud admitted to Barret and Red XIII, who had tracked him down to the vacant church in the Meteor-destroyed ruins of old Midgar.

"...You ain't havin' no second thoughts are ya? "Cause if you are I'll drag yo' spikey ass to the altar myself."

"Ha. That won't be neccessary, Barret." Cloud assured. "I have every intention of marrying Tifa. You're not rid of me that easily."

"Hey, don't worry 'bout _me_ foo'. You just concentrate on Teef."

"I know...I won't let her down, Barret. Not again."

"I'll see."

"You will."

"Hmph...So what ya doin' here anyway? Came to pick ya own bouquet or somethin'?" Barret ribbed, gesturing toward the bed of flowers that remained in bloom even after it's caretaker disappearance years ago.

"Yeah right...I just came to think, that's all."

"What about, my friend?" Red asked in earnest.

"...About life, Red. About the life I'm about to have with Teef and all the things I wanna do with it...How I'm not gonna piss off another day, you know?"

"I hear ya."

"...We are all very proud of you, Cloud. You have grown up tremendously since we first met, in mind, body, and spirit."

"Heh...I had a little help here and there."

"A _little_?"

"Alright, alright. A _lot_." Cloud conceded.

"Shoot, yo' butt would be stuck in one kinda jam or another if not fo' us. Don't you forget it."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"'Ey, don't mock me foo'!"

"Me? Never, Barret."

Red let past a laugh disguised as a gruff.

"Boy, you lucky you 'bout to get married. I can't give Tifa away to no busted up groom."

"Heh. Appreciate it..."

"Yo, we didn't come lookin' fo' ya so we could mess around here, captain."

"Yes, Cloud. It is time for your fitting."

"Wha? The tailor from Junon is here already?"

"Yup. We gotta bounce, Spike."

"Let's roll then."

With Cloud's command, the three of them made way to the giant door. Cloud stopped short and looked back toward the altar...

"Don't laugh at me. I _have _to wear the tux, Aeris." Cloud said as he grinned and left the church, for the last time.

--

"Alright. Wait here." Yuffie ordered Cid after he'd landed the Highwind just outside of Kalm.

"Hurry it up, will ya? I ain't got all day for you to go flower shoppin'." Cid grumbled as he took a drag from his tenth cigarette of the day.

"It's a preorder, old fart. I'll be right back." Yuffie promised as she darted toward the exit from the bridge.

"I ain't old, goddammit!" Cid barked after her.

Yuffie entered the town on foot and began looking around her in search of the flower shop she had ordered all of the flower arrangements from on the internet. She was glad that she had preordered, but the rub was that she had to pick the flowers up herself.

"Oh, there it is." the female ninja said to herself as she spotted the store named 'Andie's Floral Boutique'.

Having done lots of careful online research for florists and flower arrangements, Yuffie went with this shop because of it's fast blossoming reputation and reasonable prices (price above all).

"Helloooo?" Yuffie called out as she entered the seemingly empty shop, making the bell hanging upon the door chime. "Anybody here?"

"Be right there!" a chipper voice replied from a room at the back of the tiny building.

"Oka-ay." Yuffie called back.

She hadn't noticed at first, but the aroma inside the shop was mesmerizing. Yuffie made a mental note to tell the shop's proprietor just that, if she ever came out.

"Hey, I'm kinda in a hurry and I have a preorder." Yuffie called, growing anxious about getting the floral cargo back to Edge.

"Sorry, here I come."

"..."

A girl emerged from the room in back. A tall, thin young lady with long brown hair down to her bottom, beautiful emerald eyes, and a pale complexion.

"Hi. What can I do for you?" the girl asked Yuffie in a frighteningly familiar voice.

"...O-Oh...my...God..." Yuffie gasped upon seeing her up close.

Either Yuffie was losing her mind, or before her very eyes stood a carbon copy of a friend she had lost a long time ago...

"My name's Andie, and this is my shop." she introduced herself to Yuffie, who was still in shock at the girl's dead-on resemblance to...

"Aeris?" Yuffie choked out past a numb tongue.

"...No. My name's Andie. Andie Chiefstone."

"Andie...? But, you..."

"It's okay. I get mistaken for Aeris Gainsborough all the time." Andie said matter-of-factly, sending a shiver down Yuffie's spine.

"Y-You _do_?"

"Yes, I do...After all, she was my sister."

--

A/N: Due to an unusual occurrence , I have had to merge 1&2. Sorry about the longer read.

--

Chapter #2-"Her name is Andie"

All of the preparations for the impending wedding of Cloud and Tifa are nearing completion, and the time for the exchange of vows between the childhood friends is closing in fast.

Only one minor setback has arisen; Yuffie forgot to pick up the flower arrangements from an upstart florist in Kalm, a problem easily resolved with Cid and the Highwind at her call to bring her to the sleepy town north of Edge.

When Yuffie gets to the flower shop, however, she is met with an unimaginable shock.

The proprietor, a young woman named Andie Chiefstone, turned out to be a stone cold dead ringer for Aeris, Yuffie's friend who was brutally murdered by Sephiroth two-and-a-half years ago. What's more, not only is Andie aware of her resemblance to Aeris, she reveals that it is because Aeris, who was thought to be an only child, was her sister!

"_S-Sister!?_"

"...Yeah. You heard right." Andie confirmed.

"W-Wait a minute..."

Even though Yuffie hadn't known her very long before she died, she remembered that Aeris specifically said that she was an only-child.

"I thought that Aeris didn't have any siblings." Yuffie told Andie.

"Well, you thought mistakenly. I am Aeris' sister, but..."

"But what?"

"...I'm her biological sibling, but I'm nothing you could call a 'sister'. I share Aeris' DNA, but that's it."

"What do you mean exactly?"

"...I never knew her. We never met."

"_Whaaaat?_"

"It's true." Andie said in a dejected tone of voice as she leaned her backside against the sales counter and folded her bare arms over the long yellow dress she wore. "I never met Aeris, and by the time I learned about her...it was too late."

"So...you know she's..."

"Yes, I know that she's dead...I know she was murdered by the great-General-gone-mad, Sephiroth."

"...Just how do you know all this anyway? Who the heck _are_ you?" Yuffie inquired, now more mystified than frightened by Aeris' look-alike. "I don't mean to bust your chops, but, this is kinda weird for me."

"I could imagine. It's not a problem though. I'll tell you whatever you want to know about me."

"Umm...Well...You're Aeris' sister, right? Where the heck were you when she was alive anyway?" Yuffie inquired as she began giving Andie the third degree.

"In Mideel mostly. That's where I was raised."

"Raised by who? Couldn't have been Aeris' folks, 'cause they both passed away."

"No, I indeed wasn't raised by Gast and Ifalna. I was raised by my adoptive parents, the Chiefstones."

"Okay, but, how did you get adopted by that family?"

"I'll tell you, but first I should tell you how I came to exist...Ifalna was my biological mother. When Shin-Ra caught her after they killed Gast, they held her and Aeris captive as test subjects...One of the lovely things they did to Ifalna was harvest the rest of her unfertilized eggs, precious and pure unfertilized Cetra eggs to be exact..."

A nauseating feeling entered Yuffie's stomach as she knew exectly what sick and horrific turn Andie's words were about to take.

"Wait." Yuffie begged as she clutched her mouth, fearing she would take ill if Andie continued.

"What? I can stop if you want." Andie said, concerned about Yuffie's constitution.

"..."

The youngster pondered whether or not to press along with Andie's tale of weird science, and decided that she wanted to know the truth after all.

"...No, I'm good."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah...Go ahead."

"Okay...Like I said, they, namely the good Professor Hojo, harvested the rest of Ifalna's Cetra eggs. The plan was to, basically, create an all new generation of Cetra, only this new breed of Cetra would have extra special ingredients added to the genetic recipe."

"Don't tell me. Jenova cells? Mako?"

"Try both." Andie said as she nodded her head.

"Hmmm...Not unlike SOLDIER."

"No, actually. This program was nothing like SOLDIER."

"It wasn't?"

"No. SOLDIER was the program for manufacturing super-human Shin-Ra fighters. Project GARDEN was an extremely ambitious attempt to repopulate the entire planet with Neo-Cetra. Humans were to be rendered the secondary class of mankind, with the Neo-Cetrans as the primary class. Gaia would then, hypothetically, be a regular utopian paradise, owned and profited from by Shin-Ra."

"Gawd...What kind of plan _was_ that?" Yuffie asked as she scratched her head.

"An over-the-top plan that totally bombed." Andie said, giving the thumbs down signal and sticking out her tongue. She continued "I'll make a long story short. The proverbial weight of this gaudy, horrendously-conceived project was far too much for Shin-Ra's shoulders to bear. They had no choice but to call it a loss. Project GARDEN was scrapped, all knowledge of it was disavowed, and all related materials were destroyed...well, _almost_ all materials were destroyed anyway, if you know what I mean."

"You mean you, right?"

"Yes, which leads me to your question about my family. You see, I grew up partially in the scientific facilities of Shin-Ra. I was an important specimen, so there were a certain few persons who tended to me on the daily basis. Most of them were just Hojo's lackeys whose only job was to make sure I was alive and healthy, well, as healthy as a volitile experiment could be. I didn't care for them, all except for one that is. His name was Andrew Chiefstone, a young up-and-coming scientist under the tutelage of Hojo. Chief, as he was called for short, was different from the others. To him, I was not just an experiment. I was...a child in his eyes. A defenseless, innocent child. Whereas the others just took interest in me for science's sake, Chief took an interest in _me_..."

"Uh-huh..."

"...I was never given a formal name in the lab. I was 'PAG-S-001-BETA' to Hojo, nothing more. Chief, on the other hand, decided no little girl should be without a name, so...Heh heh. He gave me one. _His_."

"Andrew?"

"Ha ha ha. Andrewella to be exact." Andie revealed with a proud vocal inflection. "Of course, that was too long for common purposes, so he called me Andie for short...Anyway, Chief and I bonded more and more each and every day. He taught me how to talk, how to laugh...But, we bonded so much so that Hojo took notice and berated him for becoming attached to a mere specimen. Chief was kicked out of the program for caring about me, basically. It was the first time I'd ever felt heartbreak..."

"Hmmm..."

"...The day came when the axe got dropped on GARDEN, and that was the very day I, along with the other Neo-Cetran prototypes, were to be destroyed. For us, there was to be no existence outside of the laboratory, for we were evidence of Shin-Ra's miserable failure."

"Yet you live, Andie."

"I do...All thanks to Chief...The day I was supposed to die, he rescued me. I mean, he virtually broke into the facility, found me and whisked me out of there with no explanation. In and out with me in tow, just like a ninja or something."

"Ah ha..Really now?" Yuffie, the ninja, snickered.

"Yes, really. It was all so fast, I don't even remember most of it. Before I could get a grip on anything we were already on the island of Mideel, far away from Midgar...Next thing I knew, I had a dad, a mom, a brother, and a dog. My name was Andie Chiefstone, and I was simply a normal kid, not an experiment. Not a Neo-Cetran."

"Wow...That's pretty wild how you got away from the Shin-Ra, but weren't you afraid they'd come after you and Chief?"

"At the time, no. I didn't really know any better, Yuffie."

"Fair enough..."

Then it occurred to the youngster that she hadn't shared her name with Andie the whole time she was there.

"Hey, how did you know my name?"

"Oh...Sorry about that. It was my sixth sense."

"Sixth sense? You mean mind tricks?"

"They're no tricks. My Neo-Cetran abilities are very real."

"Neo-Cetran...Sounds to me like, in a way, the Cetra isn't extinct after all then, right?"

"In a way indeed." Andie confirmed.

"But you're alone. I mean, the other Neo-Cetra were terminated, right?"

"Yes, my siblings were destroyed, sadly."

"Does it bother you, being the only one who made it out? Do you ever feel...guilty?" Yuffie asked, knowing she was reaching uncomfortable territory.

"...Say, didn't you have an order?" Andie asked in attempt to change the subject.

"Order? Oh, oh. Yeah, I did...It's for a wedding."

"Oh, I love weddings. I do my best work for weddings as a matter of fact. May I ask who the lucky couple is?"

"Ummm...Y-You wouldn't know them."

"Yeah, probably not."

"Goddammit, ya brat!" Cid bellowed as he stormed into Andie's shop. "You said ya wouldn't be all damn...day?"

His cigarette dropped from his mouth and hit the floor.

"What the holy hell...?"


	2. Over the trails you left, I will follow

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbiton313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #3-"Over the trails you left, I will follow"

Andie Chiefstone has revealed to Yuffie her highly unorthodox origin and upbringing, only giving the young woman from Wutai more questions than answers. It also takes it's toll on Andie, as she retreated from the issue after Yuffie mentions her deceased Neo-Cetran siblings. Just when she is ready to dispatch Yuffie with her order and return to her business, none other than Cid Highwind, having grown restless on board the Highwind waiting for Yuffie, barged in yelling in his trademark fashion.

He was quickly silenced and stunned by what he lays eyes upon...

"I'll be a...Are the angels playin' tricks on me?" Cid asked himself as he wiped his blue eyes with the backs of his gloved hands and focused in on the angelic figure before him.

"Um, Cid, this isn't what it looks like." Yuffie began.

Cid raised a single eyebrow at Yuffie, shocked yet relieved at once that she too could see Andie.

"You see her too?"

"Yeah."

"Oh. Means I'm not losing it at least."

"No, senility hasn't come for you yet, old man."

"...But if you're not...What the hell's goin' on here?"

"Allow me." Andie interjected on her own behalf. "My name is Andie Chiefstone..."

Andie proceeded to relate the same story to Cid as she had to Yuffie, with the young ninja occasionally nodding in agreeance with Andie's words...

"...What the bloody hell? Next thing you'll tell me there's a clone of _me _runnin' around." Cid said exasperatedly.

"I'm not a clone. I'm Aeris--"

"Yeah, yeah. Aeris' bloody sis, I heard ya. Damn..."

The old ace pilot couldn't help but squirm in discomfort after hearing what Andie had to say and, seeing her before his very eyes, knowing it was all too real. Cid had seen quite a lot in his years, but this had to take the cake, or at least be in strong contention.

"Hmph." Cid grumbled as he picked up his cigarette from the floor and re-lit it, never minding Andie's 'No smoking' sign as big as day on the sales counter. "I'll tell ya one thing. If I wasn't there in the flesh when that son of a bitch Sephiroth...I'd swear you were her." The old man said as he took a drag and let the tobacco vapors linger in his lungs for a few seconds.

"Me too." said Yuffie. "Gawd, you could pass for Aeris any day of the week, Andie."

"Yeah she could. She'd even have Spike fooled."

"Spike?" Andie inquired. "Was that a pet of Aeris'?"

It took everything for Yuffie and Cid not to burst into laughter.

"Um, you could say that." Yuffie replied, stifling the giggles.

"Oh. That's one _more_ thing I didn't know about her then."

"Eh? Andie, I thought you knew a lot about her."

"..."

Andie turned her gaze toward a lovely arrangement of carnations that she'd made adapt blue-tinged petals via food coloring in it's water supply.

"...I do. I know her through stories about her and photographs of her from her mom, but..."

"Wait? You know Mrs. Gainsborough?" Cid asked.

"Yeah. I met her when I relocated from Mideel last year...Needless to say, she was quite shocked when she laid eyes on me, but not as shocked as I was when she grabbed me and started kissing me and squeezing me. Heh...For a long time after that I had to convince her I wasn't her daughter, as much she wanted me to be. It made me sad that I was a constant reminder of her loss. I almost moved back to Mideel because of it."

"Why'd ya stay?" Cid asked.

"Because...Me and Mrs. Gainsborough had something in common. We both missed Aeris. The only thing was, I didn't know I did, not until Mrs. Gainsborough started opening up to me about her. That's why I stayed. To be close to someone who was so much part of her' life. That way, I'd..."

"Feel closer to her." Yuffie finished for Andie.

"Yes...But, as much as I appreciate Mrs. Gainsborough...I still don't feel like I'm any closer to knowing Aeris. Stories and photos are great, but..." Andie trailed off, tapping her chest where her heart would be located. "...She's still missing in here."

Cid and Yuffie remained silent, neither one daring to say anything as condescending or empty as "It's okay" or "We know how you feel". Andie wiped away a tear that had rebelliously wandered from it's eye, and sighed.

"I'm sorry. I'm here crying and carrying on." she apologized.

"Ya got nothin' to be sorry for, kid."

"Cid's right." Yuffie confirmed.

"Heh...You're sweet, both of you."

"Me? Nah. I'm an old hardass, just ask the Missus." Cid said in a vain attempt to deffer being a nice guy.

"No, I can tell. I can tell all of you, my sisters friends, are good people. Mmm-hmm. No question."

"We loved her." said Yuffie.

"...Oh, would look at the time. Haven't you got flowers to bring home?"

"Last I remember."

"Okay. No more dilly-dallying. I'll get you all set."

With that, Ms. Chiefstone went to gathering the assortment for Yuffie, who had pulled Cid to the side for a word.

"Cid...Do you think it'd be a _bad_ idea if...No, never mind."

"Don't go never mindin' me. Out with it Yuffie."

"Okay, okay...Would it be a bad idea if we told everybody about her?"

"I dunno. I don't have a problem with the girl, but..."

"It was just a thought...Yeah, just a thought. I'm over it."

"So, no?"

"No. Not yet at least."

"What? Ya think she'll jinx the wedding?"

"No, nothing like _that_. It's just, throwing Aeris up in the mix _now,_ y'know?"

"She ain't Aeris."

"I _know_ that, but come on." Yuffie continued in their clandestine discussion. "You and me, Cid, we have a little better track record than you-know-who when it comes to emotional stability. Andie doesn't affect us, but _him_, who knows?"

"Ah, give the boy some credit will ya? He's marrying Tifa, period. No Andies or Schmandies could mess it up."

"Yeah, but."

"Hey, do whatever brat. If any shit hits the floor you'll just run away anyway." Cid said pointedly as he enjoyed one last drag off the cancer stick.

"Eff you, old douche." Yuffie bit back, mindful not to swear in Andie's presence.

As Andie happily readied her merchandise for the sale, Yuffie continued to contemplate the notion of telling her friends, especially the groom-to-be, about Andie.

Yuffie finally decided against it, atr least for the time being.

"Here you go." Andie announced, wheeling out Yuffie's order on the shop's one and only flatbed.

"Oh my _Gawd_...It's perfect." Yuffie breathed, stunned by the beautiful yellow-themed assortment. "It's even more beautiful than the photos on the internet."

"Those flowers are somethin'." Cid even had to admit."Me and my wife's setup was sorry compared to that."

"Thank you very kindly. Like I said, I do my best work for weddings." Andie bragged, soaking up every iota of praise.

"What do I owe you altogether?"

"Hmm...Just take them." Andie told Yuffie, dismissively waving her left hand. "On the house."

"Wha...No, I couldn't."

"Please, do. My gift to the lovely couple."

"Wow..."

"That's awful generous of ya." said Cid. "You sure you won't take anything for 'em?"

"Well...Maybe I'll run into you guys again someday." Andie hinted with a wink.

_Yes, I'll run into you guys again. A lot sooner rather than later. Methinks I'll take a ride over to Edge tomorrow, to see what I can see._


	3. Planting seeds

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #4-"Planting seeds"

The time for preparations has past. The morning sun has risen and washed over the city of Edge unabated, as though it had preserved it's brightest effort just for the young newlyweds-to-be, Cloud & Tifa, on their blessed day.

Although tradition states that the bride and groom should not see each other before they exchange their vows, the two young adults rebel against the notion to have breakfast together in Tifa's apartment, where Cloud had spent the night with her as well...

"Thanks, Tifa."

"Sure."

Tifa had poured Cloud's coffee into his mug, a hollowed-out ceramic sculpture of a chocobo's head given to him by Marlene for his birthday last year.

"...Today's the day." Tifa reminded her fiance as she sat at the table in the chair across from him, bringing her knees up to her chin.

"For what?"

"You know what, Cloud. Or did you forget?"

"..._Ohhh._ I know what today is. Some guy is getting married to the best girl in the whole world, right?"

"Heh heh. Yes, Mr. Some-Guy...You up to it? The fellas took a lot out of you last night."

"More like got me all messed up, especially Reno." Cloud half-chuckled through a slight hangover, brought on by his bachelor party the night before that was courtesy of his male friends, including the Turks Reno & Rude.

"You should've known better than to go round-for-round with a Turk" Tifa teased.

"Baah...Probably more fun than _your_ party anyway." Cloud teased back.

"Maybe..."

"You did enjoy your bachelorette party, didn't you?"

"Of course I did . I did, but...Yuffie didn't seem like she had a good time for some reason."

"Eh? What happened? The stripper didn't show, or did he show and come up _short_? Heh heh."

"Funny, Cloud. Not."

"Sorry. Really, what was up with her? Sick?"

"No, not sick. Actually, more like preoccupied with her thoughts."

"...Yuffie? Preoccupied with _thought_? Our Yuffie, the girl who hangs out here? Black hair, gray eyes, short as a moogle?"

"Yes, _that_ one , if you can believe it."

"What the heck was on _her_ mind?"

"I wish I knew...It's the funniest thing. She went to Kalm to get the flowers and she was fine, but when she came back she was acting strange."

"Teef, the girl's been acting strange since the day we met her in the forest outside of Fort Condor."

"...Are you done cracking wise, Cloud?"

"Done. Go ahead."

"No, really. Are you done?"

"_Yes_, I'm done."

"Thank you kindly, jackass. Anyhow, If I didn't know any better, she was acting like she was hiding something."

"Check her pockets while she's still asleep." Cloud joked.

"Goddammit, Cloud."

"Heh heh, I couldn't let _that_ one get away. Sorry."

"Whatever...Cloud, what's _that_?" Tifa asked, pointing at an adhesive bandage that adorned his right bicep.

"This? Oh, _this_ is the work of a tailor from Junon."

"Whaaaaat?"

"Pricked the living shit outta me I swear."

"Join the club. Shera did a number on me too." Tifa commiserated, gesturing her hand over the areas bandaged by Yuffie.

"Ouch."

"Damn right, ouch."

"But, it's for a worthy cause."

Tifa smiled at that remark.

"It sure is, isn't it?"

--

"Thanks for meeting me here on such short notice. I know you're not a morning person...or an afternoon person...or an eve--"

"Yuffie, kindly get to the point."

"Oh, sorry Vinnie."

Yuffie anxiously wrung her hands, wondering how she would go about discussing Andie with Vincent, now that she had lured him out of his customary morning slumber and to the large fountain in the center of town. She had agreed with Cid that keeping quiet was the way to go, but being the impatient keeper of news she was, Yuffie felt that she would explode if she didn't tell someone. Vincent was the most unlikely to spill the beans, so she summoned his ear...

"What is it that has you so troubled?" asked the former Turk "From the way you were on the phone, it has you particularly perturbed."

"Vinnie, it does..." the young ninja admitted as she sat on the edge of the watery structure.

"...I have never been one for guessing games." Vincent politely prodded, tapping his chin with the golden claw on his left index finger.

"...Aeris, Vincent." Yuffie blurted.

"...You asked me to come so we could talk about Aeris?"

"No! Well, yes."

"Which?"

"Both. Vinnie, you used to be a Turk a long time ago right?"

"Regrettably." Vincent replied, patiently allowing Yuffie to elaborate.

"Does project GARDEN mean anything to you?"

"..."

Vincent bowed his head in ponder.

"Project GARDEN...How on Gaia would you know of that?"

"Just answer the question." Yuffie snapped, flustered from sleep deprivation caused by thoughts of Miss Chiefstone.

"Very well then. The answer is, yes. I am familiar with Project GARDEN."

"You are?"

"Yes, though I will now ask something. What do _you_ know about it, Yuffie?" Vincent inquired, rather curious as to why she of all people would know anything of project GARDEN.

"I'm getting to that...Look, I've been up all night fighting myself over this, and I can't take it anymore. I have to tell someone, but I can't tell just anybody. I have to tell somebody who I know won't squeal, err, blow it out of proportion."

"You trust that I am that someone?"

"Yeah, Vinnie. That, and the chance that maybe you can shed some more light on it."

"..."

"My God, how do I even say this? Vinnie, there's this girl in Kalm. She goes by the name Andie, Andie Chiefstone, but get this; She's a virtual carbon copy of Aeris."

"Is that so?"

"Gawd, didn't you _hear_ me? Girl, Aeris-lookalike, _alive_."

"I got all that."

"Look, she said she was born of this freaky project by Shin-Ra a long time ago, project GARDEN."

Yuffie, who rarely smokes, lit another cigarette and took a deep drag that Cid would be proud of.

"...Impossible." Vincent coolly uttered, not wanting to allow himself to believe what he had just heard.

"So I'm just crazy and made this up? I'm not fucked in the head, Vince. I know what I saw, and so does Cid."

"Cid?"

"Yeah, the old guy. He saw her, met her too. You can call him right now if you wanna." Yuffie said as she took in yet another drag and let it right back out from her nostrils, a trick learned her by the crotchety old pilot.

There was nothing Vincent could say to refute Yuffie's story. The only thing he could do now was add to it...

"...Back then, in my past life, there was talk of a plan to repopulate the planet with the Ancients, the Cetra." Vincent said, confirming what Andie had said the day before. "However, all that I knew of it was talk. They had not yet begun to take action upon Project GARDEN."

"So nothing happened when you were around?"

"Not that I was aware of. Then again, Hojo was very adept at keeping things hidden, even from President Shinra himself if he deemed it neccessary."

"Well, Vince, all I can say is, this girl in Kalm is as alive and real as you and I."

"...And you say that she resembles Aeris."

"No, Vinnie. Listen to me. She _is_ Aeris, physically. Old man Cid almost had a heart attack when he saw her. Can't say I wasn't far behind."

"...It makes sense...Aeris' mother was the last Ancient besides Aeris herself."

"Andie's egg was harvested from Ifalna, and...you can fill in the blanks."

"I see...Her name. Andie Chiefstone was it? It is familiar."

"She was named after a scientist named Chiefstone. He sorta took her under his wing."

"Ah, yes. Andrew Chiefstone." Vincent recollected.

"Knew him?"

"Not well, but I knew who he was. Largely Hojo's whipping boy...I also remember he was too nice to have worked for Shin-Ra."

"...So is that all you know?" Yuffie asked.

"I am afraid, Yuffie."

"Oh, it's okay. I really just wanted to tell somebody I could trust. I felt like I was gonna explode if I didn't talk abut it...Thanks for coming and hearing me out."

"Actually, it is I who should bestow my gratitude."

"You? Why?"

"...Never mind."

"Whatever you say."

Yuffie finished her cigarette and stood up from the bench.

"Gotta get going. It'll take me forever to get into that damn dress." Yuffie lightheartedly griped about her bridesmaid uniform. "Not to mention I can't think of a thing to do with my hair. Oh well. See you on the Highwind, Vince."

"Until then." Vincent bid as Yuffie left him...

_So...the Neo-Cetra were created after all, and one of them lives...Could it be, maybe, that _my_ donation was used in creating her?_

--

"Andieeeeeeee?? Aw, come on Andie! Open the shop up already!" a little girl begged as she pounded the locked door to Andie's shop.

It was most peculiar for Andie to have not opened long before now.

"Annnnndieeeeeee!"

"It's no use." an older lady told the girl.

"Mrs. Gainsborough. Where the heck is Andie?"

"Gone, dear." Aeris' adoptive mother replied..

"Where? Did she go back to Mideel?"

"No, nothing like that sweetheart. She's gone to Edge."

"Edge? What the heck for?"

"I'm not sure. She only said that there was something there that she wanted to see. I do wonder what that could be..."

--

"Cloud! Cloud, you gotta come quick!" Marlene shouted as she burst into Tifa's apartment without knocking.

"Marlene, first of all Cloud's not here. Second, what did I tell you about coming in loud?" Tifa reprimanded the girl without stopping the task of cleaning up from breakfast.

"Tifa, she's back! She's back for real!"

"Who's back for real?"

"Aeris!"

"...Marlene--"

"No! She's back! Me and Denzel saw her at the church! Honest, swear to God!" Marlene shrieked as she bounced up and down with excitement.

"Marlene! Don't swear to God on a fib, and don't fib about Aeris!"

"But, Teef! We--"

"No buts, Marlene. What has gotten _into_ you, young lady? Why would you say such a thing, Marlene? I don't believe you."

"But--"

"Tifa, it's true!" Denzel butted in as he stormed into the apartment, gasping for air after running all the way from old Sector Five. "Mar...lene...wanted...to...pick...flowers...at the..old church...an'...we saw her...not...a ghost...she was...real...cause...she talked to us..."

"...Denzel, what did you just say?"

"I said, Marlene wanted to pick--"

"I heard what you said, Denzel!" Tifa cut the youngster short, as she was by now angry with the children.

"Well then, come on! She's there! Come on before she goes somewhere else!"

"Stop it! Both of you stop it right this instant! Shame on you both! How could you do this today of all days? I understand things have been hectic and we haven't been paying you much attention this week, but that's no excuse at all for this. Shame on you especially, Denzel. You're older, and you're supposed to be more mature than this. What would Cloud think?"

"...He'd be mad." Denzel sullenly replied.

"That's right...Look, guys. I know it's a very special day, and I know that it would be so wonderful if Aeris could share it with us, but she can't. She's gone. Forever. She's not back, and she's never coming back, okay?"

"But _Teef_."

"Marlene, enough. Really, enough."

"It's okay, Marlene." Denzel comforted his younger buddy.

"...We're sorry, Tifa." the little girl apologized, almost in tears.

"Oh, honey..."

Tifa's agitation melted away as she knelt and embraced Marlene.

"It's okay. I'm sorry I was harsh."

"...Tifa, we're not lying. We wouldn't lie about that. We know better." Marlene tried to reason.

"Tifa, you have to believe us. We really saw Aeris in the church, and she was real." Denzel followed.

"...You might have seen someone who _looked _like Aeris, guys."

"No, it was her Tifa. No mistaking it."

"...Guys..."

Looking into their eyes, Tifa could see that they were not fibbing and had seen someone at that church, someone of interest...

"...Okay. If I go with you to the church really quickly, will you leave the issue alone?" the bride-to-be bargained.

"Trust us, Teef. Nobody's gonna leave it alone once you see for yourself." Denzel confidently assured.

"I'll see. Let me just grab my shoes..."


	4. The smell of annoyed

Greener on the other side

By NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #5-"The smell of annoyed"

"Okay, Marlene. Slow down. You don't have to run the whole way." Tifa called out to young Miss Wallace as she lead her and Denzel by a few yards.

"We gotta hurry. She might leave." Denzel said, himself a few paces before Tifa.

Tifa sighed as she alternately put one foot before the other. Why had she let those two drag her all the way to old Sector Five in the ruins of Midgar on a wild Aeris chase? Why on her wedding day no less?

"I swear to God that's the last time I leave Cait to babysit. Whatever those two ate last night has touched their brains." Tifa griped to herself, regretting leaving the living toy cat in charge while she attended her bachelorette party last night.

Not long after leaving Tifa's apartment, the trio arrive at the old church, where the kids swear up and down they saw one Aeris Gainsborough, very much alive. Marlene preceded the party into the building, looking around for their tremendous discovery...

"Aeris? Aeris, we came back! See, we brought Tifa too! Where'd you go?" Marlene called out, her voice echoing against the walls.

"Come out, Aeris. It's okay." Denzel spoke up.

"...Aeris?" Tifa halfway called out, incredulous that she was actually playing along.

Alas, no one responded to the calls of the party. Not Aeris, not even a church mouse.

"Aww...See, she left! I told you to hurry Denzel!"

"I ran all the way too!" the young man defended himself.

"Okay guys." Tifa sighed, once again irritated with the children. "We came, we saw nothing, we leave, and we stop this insanity. Let's..."

Something suddenly grabbed Tifa's attention.

"You see her?"

"No...Wait here guys." Tifa ordered as she slowly progressed further into the church.

The kids obeyed as they watched Tifa, perplexed by what she was doing.

"Denzel, why's Tifa doing that?"

"I dunno..."

What Tifa was doing was sniffing. She was intently following a distinct scent with her nose, but not just any scent...

"That perfume." She uttered to herself. "I know that perfume anywhere...Oh my God, and it's fresh. Very fresh."

"Teef?"

Tifa looked back at the kids, her heart rate having doubled in the span of five seconds.

"...Guys, I don't know how to say this, but...I-I smell something familiar..."

"See!? We told you, she's here!"

"..."

The perfume that Tifa sensed was as fresh as the morning air that escorted it into her nostrils. The wearer, whomever it was, didn't get too far away...

_What the hell is going on here? That can't possibly be what I think it is, but I smell it...Aeris' perfume._

Knots of all shapes and sizes formed in the gut of the young bar maiden as she warily surveyed the premises, trying not to let her young friends know she was rattled, but failing miserably.

"You okay?" Denzel asked, almost whispering.

"...I'm fine, Denzel. Look, there has to be a logical explanation for this."

"Like what?" Marlene challenged the adult in the room.

"Like, um...Well, like maybe...no...Geez...Alright, I can't think of a logical explanation--"

"That's cause there's only one."

"You didn't let me finish. I was going to say, that doesn't mean Aeris is here or anywhere for that matter. Frankly, I don't even see why I've entertained you two for this long. Do whatever you want, but I'm going home. There was this wedding I was planning on going to."

With a patronizing sweep of her long brown locks, Tifa haughtily pointed her nose skyward and marched toward the doors of the church.

"Tifa, wait!" Marlene begged, but to no avail.

"Aw, man. Now Tifa's pissed at us and Aeris got away." Denzel complained.

"It's your fault."

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

While Denzel and Marlene went back and forth assigning blame to one another, they did not notice Andie looking on at them from behind a stone pillar...

_That was close...I feel bad for those kids, but that girl Tifa wouldn't have been happy to see me. Even without my sixth sense, I can tell there was tension between she and Aeris...I don't know. Maybe coming here wasn't such a good idea after all. I should go home, but now that I'm here...I may as well see what else I can turn up about my sister and her friends._

--

In a darkened, secluded alleyway not very far from the old Shin-Ra building, two shadowy figures converge to discuss a particular issue...

"...There is no way that I would solicit your help under normal circumstances."

"Of that I am fully aware. I should also say neither would I offer my help to you, under normal circumstances of course. I must admit, these are indeed abnormal conditions that bring us together once again, if there is any truth to what you say that is."

"An associate confirmed that she met her in Kalm. She also confirmed to me the girl's story of being a GARDEN child. There is no way that this associate of mine would know of anything related to GARDEN without hearing it straight from the source, am I correct?"

"Very much so, my old friend."

"...I do not care about the details. I merely want to know, is she mine? Could my donation have been used for fertilization?"

"My, my. Hasty to be a daddy, aren't we Vincent? Hmph...I'll be honest with you, Dad. There is a good chance you may have fertilized this girl, as you put it. However, I will remind you that I donated my seed as well, along with many other volunteers back then."

"Will you assist me or not?"

"Whoa, easy there my pasty compadre. I do not recall operating a paternity center that operated according to your whims."

"Spare me the wise ass routine, please. You know you have the ability to get the information I want."

"True indeed, Vincent. But, tell me please. Why should I? Why should I even play along with any of this? For all I know--"

"You are of no use." Vincent gruffly cut the other person off, about to take his leave.

"...Going off on your own as usual I see. You'll never change, old man."

"Hmph."

_Forget you. I'll get to the bottom of this by myself...Andie Chiefstone, wait for me..._


	5. Dishonor

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #6-"Dishonor"

"Tifa, there you are. Where the hell did you go?" Yuffie asked as Tifa returned to her apartment. "I came by and nobody was here."

"Sorry, Yuffie." Tifa said with an exasperated sigh.

"What's wrong? Why are you all out of breath? And why do you look pissed off at the world?"

"Tch...Yuffie, I thought _you_ were the prankster around here."

"Come again?"

"Those two...Ooooh, those two kids...Yuffie, why did Marlene and Denzel come barreling through the door earlier squawking about Aeris being alive and waiting at the old church?"

A rush of ice shot straight down the young bridesmaid's spine.

"About...what?"

"About our dearly departed flower girl being alive and well and lurking in the old church. Yuffie, it was the meanest trick they've ever pulled on me. I don't know what could have made them concoct such a thing...I know one thing, I'm going to see to it that Cloud and Barret give them a serious punishment tomorrow. Those two have to learn a lesson about playing tricks like that."

"...Y-Yeah. That was some kinda trick." Yuffie timidly uttered, trying to pass the issue off into oblivion.

"Is that all you have to say about it?"

"What more should I say? Forget about that, Teef. You got a wedding to get ready for, remember?"

"Forget about it? Yuffie, how can I forget those two kids pulling such an outrageous stunt on my wedding day? How can I forget them..._forgive_ them doing that to me?"

"Because you have to, okay? Now, back to this wedding biz."

"Hey, what is with you? I'm telling you what a cruel stunt Marlene and Denzel pulled on me and you're just brushing it off? What the hell?"

"I heard you, okay? Look, Aeris is dead and gone. We know that. Maybe those two brats have been huffin' mako or something."

"Don't even joke like that, Yuffie!"

"What do you suppose I do then!?"

"A little sympathy would be nice! Maybe you can do _that_ right, Maid of Dishonor!"

"Ah...Dishonor?"

"Yes, Yuffie! I wish I would have followed my first mind by asking Shera to do the job, but 'no' Cloud said. 'Let Yuffie do it, Tifa', 'She can handle it, Tifa'. Ugh."

Those words cut straight through to Yuffie's very heart, coaxing drops of devastated tears to fall from her stormy gray eyes.

"Cloud said?" Yuffie barely squeaked, ready to burst.

"Yes, he did. Practically _begged_ me too." Tifa continued, sensing the damage she'd done but being unable to pull back.

"...Right...I see then...I'm just a useless little screwball after all..." Yuffie peeped as she began weeping.

"Yuffie, I'm sor--"

"That's fine...I'll get outta your face." Yuffie mumbled as she bolted toward the door, only to be blocked by Tifa.

"No, Yuffie don't go! I am so, so sorry! I didn't mean it, I swear!"

"Yes you did.You wouldn't have said it if you didn't."

"Yuffie, I wasn't thinking! I...It's just this whole wedding, and now the kids have gone bonkers and all. I'm half-insane and I'm running on adrenaline and nerves, okay? I know it's no excuse but, I'm sorry."

"..."

"Please don't go, Yuffie. I need you. I need my maid of honor." Tifa begged, near tears herself. "And I want you to be that for me. I swear to God I do."

"..."

The young ninja closed her eyes and bit her bottom lip, fighting the urge to retaliate against Tifa's berating of her, that retaliation being the 'A-bomb' she carried in her arsenal of secrets. She was hurt, and wanted to hurt Tifa back...

_No, I'll be better than that. She's just stressing out, and she did apologize, like she does so well..._

"If you walk on me, I'll really be a mess. Please stay. Please?"

"...I won't let you down, Tifa." Yuffie sullenly assured Tifa, deciding against enlightening her pal about a certain other woman.

"Thank you. I know I've been a majorly bitchy Bridezilla, and I'm sorry."

"Okay..."

"I'm sorry." Tifa again apologized as she took Yuffie into her embrace.

"Yeah, I heard you...You're sorry."

_But not as sorry as I could have made you, _friend_._

--

"...Vincent?" Shera greeted as she opened the door of the farm house just outside of Edge that she and Cid bought last year.

"Shera. I am afraid I've no time for pleasantries. Where is Cid?"

"He's--"

"Shera! Who the hell is that at the door?" the voice of a gruff old pilot boomed from within the Highwind home.

"It's Vincent, sweetheart. He wants to see you." Shera called back.

"Yeah, yeah. Here I come."

"Come in, please." Shera asked as she made way for the man in an everpresent red cape.

"As I said, I've no time for visiting."

"Well, truth be told none of us have much time for anything. The wedding's only a few hours from now...You are going, aren't you?"

"I intended on it."

"Oh, well if that's so I certainly hope you plan on doing something with that hair of yours. And you cannot wear that danged cape, buster. And another thing--"

"Goddammit, leave the man alone." Cid barked as he came to the door, already halfway into his tux.

"Cid. I require your assistance." Vincent said, not wasting any time with greetings.

"What? You can't do the stupid bow tie on your suit?" Cid joked, to which Vincent was not amused in the least.

"...Andie Chiefstone. Yuffie says you've met her."

"Oh...Yeah, that girl from yesterday."

"What girl?" Shera asked whomever would answer.

"Sher, um...Could me and Vin have a word?"

"Hey, you can't foo-foo me away like that." Shera protested. "Who's Andie Chiefstone? Cid?"

"Andie Chiefstone is a remnant of a Shin-Ra project. Correct, Cid?"

"...Yeah, that's the story the girl gave me and the brat." Cid confirmed. "But, what's that got t' do with you?"

"Everything. I need you to fly me to Kalm, right now."

"What? Are you outta yer goddamn mind?"

"I'm very serious."

"V-Vincent, you do realize that the wedding is only a few hours away, don't you?" Shera asked.

"I am aware."

"Vin, y' know I'd take ya wherever y' wanna go, but come on. _Now_? The girl ain't goin' anywhere."

"...Cid, Shera, my sincerest apologies. I've no right to be so selfish. I will trouble you no more."

Without another word, the dark man left the Highwinds' doorstep...

"...Cid, what is Vincent talking about? Who, or what, is Andie Chiefstone?"

"Heh. Shera, ya wouldn't believe me if I told ya." Cid said with a pat on his wife's head.

"You always say that. Come on, tell me."

"Eh...I'm still not too sure I believe it myself, Shera, but it's like this..."

--

"...I suppose my impatience may be unwarranted..." Vincent thought as he saddled up the chocobo that belonged to AVALANCHE, kept in the barn outside of the Highwind residence. "...I must be quick. Cloud and Tifa would not be pleased with me if I were late to the ceremony, but, I must chance it. I must go to Kalm for some answers..."


	6. Seeing things

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticaAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #7-"Seeing things"

"I will not be long." Vincent assured AVALANCHE's chocobo, Helmstern, as he cinched the leather strap of it's bridal to a wooden post just outside of Kalm town.

"Kweeh." Helmstern replied.

The tall man entered the sleepy town with one thing and only one thing on his mind; Finding Andie Chiefstone. As much as he was aware of it being a special day for two of his closest friends, Vincent felt compelled to meet this young woman ever since Yuffie enlightened him to her existence the same morning.

Vincent figured that one woman as physically distinct as Aeris would not be difficult to locate in Kalm, one of the smaller towns of the world...

"Pardon me." Vincent asked a bright eyed teenage girl standing in the center of the town square.

"Hmmm? Me?" The girl replied, not at all afraid of his foreboding appearance.

"Yes. If I may bother you, could you point me in the direction of Andie Chiefstone?"

"Andie?" the young lady gasped as her eyes widened.

"Yes. Please, where may she be found?"

"That's easy. Just go to her flower shop, four buildings east from here. It has her name on it, so you can't miss it."

"Thank you."

Upon the girl's instructions, Vincent searched for and quickly located 'Andie's Floral Boutique'...

"...Closed." Vincent mused, trying in vain to open the locked front door.

"Oh my. Vincent?" a familiar voice was heard from his left side.

"...Mrs. Gainsborough. Hello." Vincent greeted the middle aged woman.

"Hello, Vincent. Whatever brings you around?" Elmyra inquired.

"I am looking for someone."

"Andie, by any chance?"

"Yes. Apparently she is not here."

"No, she isn't."

"May she be found elsewhere?"

"Yes, of course. Well, not today actually."

"Why not today?"

"Because, she's not in town. She went to Edge this morning of all times, and did not say why exactly."

"Damn..."

"Why do you need to see her, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

"With all due respect, I have my own reasons, Mrs. Gainsborough."

"I'm certain it's a very good reason if you've come all this way. You must be tired."

"I am not."

"Humor me, Vincent." Elmyra pleaded as she gently tugged Vincent by the arm.

"...Yes, Mrs. Gainsborough." he respectfully complied as Elmyra led him to her house, settled only a few feet away from the flower shop...

Once Elmyra had Vincent in her living room, he sat himself on her sofa as ordered while she rummaged around the adjacent kitchen, quickly emerging with two steaming mugs filled with coffee.

"Thank you." Vincent expressed as he took a token sip and sat the mug on the coffee table.

"You're welcome. Now, about that girl."

"Again, Mrs. Gainsborough, I have my reasons as to why I must meet her. I honestly can not say more than that."

"Very well. She is a very nice young woman, that Andie."

"Is that so?"

"Oh, absolutely...She's been nothing but kind ever since I met her...ha, ha...Oh, how I frightened her when I saw her the very first time, after she'd moved here. I saw my little girl and just lost it.

"Then it is true that she resembles your daughter?"

"Yes, it is very true...Looks, moves, and sounds like Aeris in every way. The only thing is, she isn't my daughter...The poor girl thought I was a crazy old lady when I insisted she was Aeris."

"It is understandable, Mrs. Gainsborough."

"Yes. Andie was very sweet about the whole thing."

"May I ask, from where does Andie originally come?" Vincent asked, no longer interested in his beverage.

"Mideel, as I understand."

"Mideel?"

"Yes. It does seem odd for someone so young to relocate alone from so far away, but that is her story."

"How old is Andie?"

"Twenty-two, as she tells it."

"Twenty-two..."

Vincent folded his arms and lowered his head in thought...

"I see...Then it _is_ possible." He murmured to himself.

"Come again?"

"My apologies, Mrs. Gainsborough. I must be on my way."

"Oh, but you just came." Elmyra protested.

"I'm sorry, but time is not my ally today. Thank you for your hospitality."

"Of course. Take care, young man."

"Be well, Mrs. Gainsborough."

_Young man. Am I not older than her? No matter..._

After Vincent saw himself out of Elmyra's house, she looked over at a photograph of Aeris that resided on an end table and grimaced.

"Oh, dear. What dealings could be on the horizon, angel?" she asked the smiling young woman in the picture.

--

Like a fruit fly to a glass of beer, Reno was drawn out of his bachelor hole to the Seventh Heaven for some "after party"...

"Yo, Cloud. A little hair o' the dog?" Reno offered the still-hungover groom-to-be as he returned to Tifa's bar, which was supposed to be closed for the day.

"Reno? What're you doing here?"

"Flashin' back to last night, yo. Ha, I didn't know ya had it in you, ol' boy. For a second I thought you were gonna outdrink _me_! Ha ha ha!" The redhead teased as he tossed back another 'complimentary' shot of scotch.

"That'll be the day...How the hell did you get in anyway? Don't you know Tifa's closed today?"

"Hey, don't pay me any attention. I'm just primin' myself for the reception."

"You'd better not overdo it, Reno. We don't need you making an even bigger ass of yourself today." Cloud ribbed his once-enemy-turned-friend.

"Don't worry about me, yo. I know when t' put the clamps on."

"You sure about that? You're not the paragon of self-control you know."

"What the hell're you sayin' eh? I don't need no flippin' babysitter, homeboy."

"Where is Rude anyway?" Cloud asked about Reno's usually ever present companion.

"Him and Elena are out gettin' a present for you n' the Missus. I got you one too."

"Word?"

"Ey, we're boys right? Course I got ya somethin'."

"Where is it then?"

"Yo, it's a wedding gift boy. You don't look married yet."

"Got me there...Hey, don't find your mother in that bottle." Cloud ordered as he went into the back room that led to Tifa's apartment.

"Yeah, yeah..."

Reno flagged Cloud off and helped himself to another shot...and another...and another...and hadn't even noticed as someone entered the establishment.

"...Excuse me? Is this place open?"

"What do _you_ think?" Reno replied as he turned to the patron.

"Well, I think--"

"The fuck?"

"...Um."

"...That's it, yo. No more booze, cause now I'm seein' things."

The Turk adjusted his focus as much as he could, and found that Andie still stood before him.

"Yo...Hey, how'd _you_ get here? You're dead."

"No, I'm--"

"'Ey, Cloud! Cloud, come see who came for the weddin' yo!" Reno shouted.

"But--"

"Wow, man. I hope Spike can see you too. If not, I'm too far gone."

"Spike?"

"Yeah, you know who I'm talkin' about yo." Reno slurred. "Cloud, 'member? You and him were some kinda hot on each other 'fore you died an' all. What, you came back to bust up the wedding or somethin'?"

"Wedding..."

In an instant, everything added up in Andie's mind...

So, Tifa is the one getting married today to Cloud...Cloud is Spike, Aeris' 'pet' so to speak...

"Cloud, c'mon man! Quit bein' a jerk and come see who's here!" Reno barked as he went to the door to the back and rapped on it.

When he turned around, though, Andie was nowhere in sight...


	7. You too in the loop

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #8-"You too in the loop"

"Dammit! Cut it out, jerk!" Yuffie yelled at Reno as she opened the door for him.

"Where the hell did she go?" He asked himself as he looked all over the inside of Tifa's bar.

"Reno, what the hell are you doing here? Who let you in?"

"Yo, come back." Reno ordered the long-gone Andie, ignoring Yuffie.

"Who are you talking about?" Tifa's maid of honor questioned the drunken Turk, leaning against the door frame with her arms folded.

"The dead girl...What's-her-face. Alice, yea?"

"..."

Quickly and quietly closing the door behind her, Yuffie grabbed Reno and pulled him to a corner near the public entrance.

"...You mean, someone who looked like Aeris was just here?"

"No, dumbass. Hic...Alex was here yo."

"Where'd she go?"

"How the hell should I know? Probably back to the Lifestream or wherever dead people go."

Taking a quick look around to make sure they were still alone, Yuffie leaned in toward Reno's ear...

"Reno, pretend you're sober and listen to me."

"Who's drunk, yo? And why the hell are we whisperin'?"

"Reno, I'm serious. Look, that person you saw wasn't Aeris. You see, it was her...her sister."

"Sister? You mean to tell me that dead girl had a sister, and nobody told me? That's harsh, man."

"Well, I didn't know 'till yesterday. No one did."

"Not even Spike?"

"No, and Reno, that's the thing. Cloud can't know. Not yet."

"Why not? You would think he'd wanna meet her, yeah?"

"Any other day it would be fine, but not today. Look, you and I aren't stupid Reno. What do you think could happen if Cloud met Andie today? His wedding day of all days?"

"Cold feet, yo."

"Please, be more specific." Yuffie said sarcastically.

"Heh...I get where you're comin' from, Yuffie. So, what do you want ol' Reno to do?"

"Two things. One, keep quiet. Don't even tell Rude."

"Tell Rude what?"

"Good boy."

"Boy? Whatever...What's the other thing?"

"The other thing is, if you see her again, make sure she stays away from the wedding. Can you do that?

"No problem."

"Thank you, Reno. It means a lot." Yuffie expressed as she patted the Turk on the arm

"It's nothin', yo...I just can't believe Erin had a sister all this time. Where the hell did she hide her?"

"Long story, no time. I gotta get back to Bridezilla. You should go home and clean up too."

"Guess so. Later."

Reno, seemingly no longer as drunk, left the premises. Yuffie impulsively took a seat at one of the tables in the open dining area and rested her chin into her left hand.

_It's gonna happen at some point. It's inevitable that Andie will meet Cloud and Tifa, but, not today. Today is simply no good..._

--

"Dammit, is Yuffie having a drink with Reno?" the exasperated bridezill...err, bride-to-be fumed as she paced barefoot about her bedroom, awaiting Yuffie's return. "And who let him in any damn way? Cloud?"

"He was there when I got back, swear to God." Cloud said, sitting backwards in Tifa's vanity chair, watching his fiance pace back and forth in her bathrobe.

"Remind me to change the locks."

Tifa suddenly stopped in her tracks and inquisitively looked at Cloud.

"Umm, what are you doing here anyway? You're supposed to be getting ready. Besides, you're not even supposed to see me yet, it's bad luck. Stop looking at me."

"What am I supposed to look at then?"

"How about this?" Tifa replied, flipping Cloud a particular finger from her right hand.

The engaged couple shared a laugh, just as Yuffie came back into the room.

"What're you two laughing about?" She asked.

"Ha ha...Nothing, Yuff. So, what was Reno bamming on the door for? Not to pay his tab, certainly."

"As if. He was just was looking for a particular kind of booze. I helped him out."

"Reno needed help finding booze? Seemed like to me he wasn't having a lick of trouble earlier." said Cloud.

"Yeah, well. It was well hidden."

"Hey, Yuff, are you feelin' okay? Tifa said you seemed bothered about something last night."

"M-Me? Of course I'm okay. What do I have to be bothered about?"

"It's probably me." Tifa admitted. "I've been a major pain throughout this whole thing, even this morning. I bit her head off when she didn't get as pissed as me when I told her what Marlene and Denzel did to me."

Yuffie's heart must have done a backflip with a twist en route to her throat.

"What? What did those two do now, and how much will it cost to fix?" Cloud asked, only half joking.

"Nothing!" Yuffie yelped.

"Yuffie, it was not nothing. Cloud, those two have lost their minds, I'll tell you. This morning after you took off--"

"Tifa, may I have a word?" Yuffie commanded more than she asked, grabbing Tifa and pulling her into the bathroom.

Before Tifa could gather herself, Yuffie had locked the door behind them and turned on the exhaust fan.

"Hey, what's the idea?"

"I should ask you the same thing, Lockheart." Yuffie hissed "Are you trying to ruin your own big day?"

"But--"

"Tifa, I don't need this stress okay? You will say nothing to Cloud about this morning, the kids, or Andie, comprende?"

"C-Comprende...Hey, wait a second. Andie? Who the hell is Andie?"

"...I-I didn't say Andie. I said Aeris."

"No, you said Andie as clear as a bell. Who's Andie?"

"Andie's nobody, okay?"

"So you're admitting you said Andie?"

"I slipped! I meant Aer--"

"Who is Andie, Yuffie?" Tifa demanded, now _knowing_ Yuffie was hiding something, instead of merely suspecting it.

"Teef--"

"Who!?"

"..."

_Gawd, I can't take it anymore..._

"Okay, you win...I said Andie. It was a slip, but Andie is real...Tifa, I didn't want this to come out yet, not today. Especially not to you."

"...You're scaring me."

"I know, that's why I didn't wanna say anything but..."

"Yuffie, do I really want to hear what you have to say?" Tifa nervously asked.

"In a word...no."

"Will it come out anyway?"

"Oh yeah. If not out of me, then someone else.."

"Who else?"

"Cid...Vincent, Reno...Hell, Marlene and Denzel were halfway right."

"...No they weren't. They were--"

"It was a misunderstanding, Tifa." Yuffie began to admit as tears formed around her grey irises. "A misunderstanding on their part, not a cruel prank. The kids aren't nutter, and they weren't fucking with your head. They really thought they saw Aeris because they did see her, or at least a perfect facsimile."

"Facsimile?"

"Yes, and her name is Andie. She's an almost-perfect physical copy of Aeris, she's real, she's in town, and you missed meeting her by the grace of being in a bathrobe." Yuffie said ,alluding to the reason why Tifa had dispatched her to handle the Turk."...Reno was pounding on the door because he wanted you and Cloud to come see her, but she took off."

"..."

Tifa's eyes rolled back into her head as she nearly fainted.

"Tifa!" Yuffie cried silently as she caught the overwhelmed Ms. Lockheart.

"Hey, are you two okay in there?" Cloud was heard from the other side of the door.

"U-Um, yeah Cloud. Just, um, a feminine issue." Yuffie replied, knowing what would get Cloud to back away.

"Whoa, didn't hear that." Cloud said as he retreated from the door.

"...Teef, come on." Yuffie begged Tifa as she gently shook her.

"Mmm, man..."

"Here..."

Yuffie sat Tifa's back against the bathtub, and instinctively took hold her hand.

"My God...I knew it. I _knew_ it..." Tifa cursed.

"You knew it?"

"Yuffie, I...I know Marlene and Denzel would never pull something so outrageous or cruel...I knew the second they told me what they saw that they were telling the truth...The one who lied was me, the whole time. I lied to myself. Even after I went with them to the church and smelled her perfume, I lied to myself...Oh my God, the way I treated you too. Yuff, I--"

"No, Tifa. Don't you dare."

"But--"

"No."

"Okay..."

"...You okay?"

"Confused would be a better word."

"I hear ya..."

"A carbon copy of Aeris..."

"Tifa, if I didn't know for a fact Aeris was dead, I'd swear..."

"That much?"

"Yes...It was surreal, like a dream or something. Thank God Cid was there. Otherwise, I'd have been thinking I was hallucinating."

"Ha...I wish I could've seen the look on his face."

"Yeah..."

"...Andie, you say?"

"Andie Chiefstone. Aeris' long-lost sister."

"What?"

"Long, freaky story Tifa. There was Mako involved too..."


	8. Kier

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #9-"Kier"

Vincent has made it more than halfway back to Edge on the legs of the official chocobo of AVALANCHE, Helmstern. He has even made such good time that he ordered the giant bird to slow down just a pace or two with a slight tug of it's bridle.

He took this time to ponder his next move. Now certain that there was a chance his voluntary sperm donation was used in Project GARDEN and that a living remnant of said project was alive, Vincent had to figure out how to go about getting to the truth. Certainly he couldn't just introduce himself to Andie and blurt out that he could be her daddy. For one, she would think he was insane. For two, he appeared physically only able to be her brother, if anything.

_Cursed immortality..._

Another hang up would be if Andie simply didn't care. Even with all of the circumstancial reason Vincent had to think what he thought, what if it meant nothing to Andie? She could easily tell him to go to hell. It was not a guarantee she would humor him and his theories in any way whatsoever, and if she indeed would not, then what?

_...I could most certainly obtain a sample of her DNA behind her back, but that would earn me her distrust, if not her hatred._

The last thing Vincent wanted was the hatred of the potential daughter he'd never known.

With all of these thoughts occupying Vincent's mind at once, he did not notice when another chocobo pulled up alongside Helmstern from behind.

"Hello?" A young female rider called out to Vincent.

"...Huh?"

Vincent turned to acknowledge the voice to his side...

"Hi." She greeted once again

"...May I help you?' Vincent asked.

"Hopefully."

The lass had long blonde hair that was partitioned off into several beaded braids, each of them dancing and flailing in time with the chocobo's movement. Her eyes were a bright shade of turquoise, and they glowed just like the eyes of a Mako poisoning victim.

"I'm a bit lost out here, Mister."

"Is that so? Where is it that you intended to go?"

"Edge." The girl with tanned, toned flesh replied.

"That is my destination. You may follow my steed." Vincent offered.

"Hey, thanks."

"Yes, but I ask that you not slow me down. I have an important engagement to attend."

"I won't." the girl promised, and guided her chocobo to the rear of Helmslen.

"Let us be going."

"Okay...By the way, my name's Kier."

"...Vincent."

"Valentine, by any chance?" Kier inquired.

"Yes. How is it you know of my identity?" Vince asked, more out of curiosity than suspicion.

"Oh...Well, everybody knows you and AVALANCHE, right?"

"I suppose..."

"Right."

"...Your eyes glow." Vincent observed.

"I know. It's the Mako...But you knew that, right?"

"...What I don't know is, why? Are you SOLDIER?"

"Me? No, I'm not." Kier replied.

"...Mako junkie?"

"God, no! Do I look like a junkie?"

"My apologies, Miss Kier."

"Hmph..."

Vincent turned and looked Kier over. She wore a trendy-looking outfit; white denim long shorts, white denim jacket over a black halter top, and black knee-high boots that buckled on the outer sides. Vincent guessed that Kier was no younger than twenty-two or twenty-three...

"...Is it very much longer to Edge?" Kier asked after ten minutes of following Vincent.

"We are practically there."

"Good...I guess you wonder how I could get lost on the plains like that."

"Enlighten me."

"You're enthusiasm is underwhelming."

"Sorry. I'm not much of a conversationalist."

"Could've fooled me...I got lost when this giant chicken shit I'm riding got spooked by a stray wolf and ran off course. Way off course."

"Hmm...It happens sometimes."

"No, it rains sometimes.Sometimes someone dials your phone by accident. What happened to me wasn't a sometimey thing, Vincent Valentine."

"Vincent." Mr. Valentine corrected Kier.

"Whatever..."

Finally, the two riders reached the entrance to Edge. They stopped just outside the gate, and Kier turned her steed to face Vincent.

"Thanks for letting me tail you."

"It was nothing."

"Yes it was, to me...I'll be here for a while. Something tells me we haven't seen the last of each other, Vincent."

"..."

With a slight grin, Kier proceeded into town.

"...Mysterious." Vincent uttered to himself, then rode Helmstern back into Edge...

--

Onboard the Highwind, Cloud the groom finishes getting dressed in the Captain's quarters. For reasons known only to him, Cloud wanted the ceremony to take place on the bridge of the airship. With much convincing (and a healthy dose of nagging from Shera), Cid reluctantly gave in, but on one condition; that he be named Cloud's best man.

"Lookin' good, Spike." Barret complimented, himself donning a black tux (with the sleeves ripped off, of course).

"Thanks. You're not so shabby yourself."

"Heh heh. You just noticed?"

"...It is almost time, Cloud. There is no turning back now." said Red, wearing a black bow tie around his neck in lieu of a tux.

"Yep."

"You ready boy? I mean, really ready?"

"...Barret, I never been more ready for anything else in my life."

"...I meant what I said yesterday, Cloud. I'm leavin' Tifa to you, which means I'm trustin' you. Better not do wrong by her, or you answer to me."

"I understand, Barret. I won't do wrong by Teef, never. I put that on my mother's memory."

"...'Ey, jus' so you know, I put Tifa on notice too. She better not screw up either."

"You did that?" Cloud asked, surprised.

"Yeah I did...Y'know, not tryin' to get mushy and all, but you are sorta like...Y'know?"

"Family?"

"Yeah, sorta. Heh."

"Awww. You love me. I always knew it, big guy. Gimme a hug." Cloud teased the former coal miner, making a motion that suggested a hug.

"'Ey, foo, don't get too caught up in the moment." Barret warded him off with his real hand.

This got quite a beastly laugh from Red, until the scene was interrupted by the entrance of Reeve.

"Oh my. What's all this?" asked the leader of the W.R.O.

"Get this damn idiot before ya won't be able to marry him to nobody." Barret ordered Reeve, the man Cloud asked to preside over the ceremony.

"Now, now gentlemen."

"Ah, you're no fun." Cloud uttered.

"...I see that all is in order?"

"Yup. We're ready to get this show on the road...Thanks for doing this for us, Reeve."

"I won't hear of any thanks, Cloud. It is the least I can do. Besides, it gave me a chance to dust off the ol' minister's license...Well, if you're ready, I'll be needing the groom and best man. Cloud, Cid?"

"Yeah, yeah." The man who's airship was hijacked by a wedding grumbled from the corner he'd sat in.

"Let's mosey."

"'Ey, didn't you say you wasn't gonna say that anymore?" Cid barked.

"Sorry."

--

"Tifa, goddammit! Come out of there!"

"No!"

"Arrrgggghhhh!"

On the other end of the corridor where Cloud had gotten ready, Tifa occupied a room for her own preparation. Everything was going smoothly, considering what news Yuffie had given Tifa earlier regarding Andie. Tifa had decided to think about that later, and was full-on pressing toward the altar. She was fine throughout having her hair fashioned into an ornate braided bun. She was fine helping Yuffie into her gown and getting into her own gown as well. She was fine throughout Shera putting on her makeup. And she was fine when she went to the bathroom...and locked the door...twenty minutes ago.

"Tifa, I swear to God I will break this door down!"

"It's not my door! See if I care!"

Exasperated, irritated, and a little miffed, Yuffie took a cleansing deep breath and composed herself.

"...Tifa, why are you doing this?"

"..."

"Dammit, you're not the only bride who's ever gotten cold feet y'know."

"..."

"It'll be okay girl. Don't forget about me. I got your back"

"..."

"Yoo-hoo? Tifa?"

The door to the bathroom slowly opened, and the bride-to-be sheepishly emerged.

"Hey, thanks for deciding to join us."

"...Yuffie, I'm so scared."

"It'll be over in no time."

"What if she shows up?"

"Andie?"

"Yes, Andie. What if she shows up?"

"Now you're being silly. She's not going to show up here."

"No? Well, she's been popping up all over town. Shit, she even came to my bar. _My bar_. She was this close to seeing Cloud."

"But she didn't, and he didn't see her. Look, we're on the Highwind now. She's not just gonna waltz onboard an airship for no reason."

"Right, the same as how she didn't waltz into an abandoned church or my bar or God-knows-where-else for no good reason. And just why the fuck is she in Edge any damn way? What does she want?"

"I don't know. Maybe she just wants to find her sister, so to speak."

"She's dead, as in not here. Not now, not ever. Go home." Tifa said as if Yuffie were Andie.

"Not now, Teef. Don't do this to yourself now. Focus on getting yourself down the aisle first and foremost. We'll worry about Andie and all that later."

"...Yuffie, am I being paranoid?"

"No, you're not being paranoid..."

_Little white lies made the baby Yuffie cry, but..._

"Well, whatever I'm being, I have an altar to get to."

"Correctumundo." Yuffie said as she fixed Tifa's tiara.

"...As my soon-to-be-husband would say, let's mosey."


	9. One failure deserves another

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #10-"One failure deserves another"

"This place is even more of a dump than I thought it'd be." Kier snorted as she set foot into the ruins of Sector 5. "...To think, she actually survived in this trash hole. Go figure..."

The tanned young woman with blonde braids walked amongst the assemblage of abandoned makeshift shelters and scattered debris, many times stepping on large fragments of broken glass or twisted metal long since liberated from it's ramshackle housing.

The combination of pre-existing blight and Meteor's near-touchdown had done an irreparable number on the inner portion of Midgar, and Sector 5 was no worse for the wear. Virtually uninhabited for almost three years now, no one sets foot in the former slum without a very good reason. The day before and the morning earlier, respectively, were extremely rare exceptions in the cases of Cloud, and the kids & Tifa.

Kier, however, was not soul searching or ghost hunting on this day. Her boots pounded the soil of the dead slum as she searched for something more practical, and it was her belief that it would be found here, namely in the best-kept home in all of Sector 5...

"...Is this it? Are you kidding me?" Kier uttered as she stood outside before the now empty house that once was home to Aeris and Elmyra. "...Best kept house in the neighborhood, eh? Not much of a distinction if you ask me. Whatever."

The straight talking young lady cautiously opened the battered wooden front door, her feet crunching the glass that had long been busted out.of it. Once inside, she could immediately see the kitchen and living area, thanks to the top plate over Sector 5 no longer being a part of Midgar's frame, allowing the dusty sunlight to pour in.

Aside from a smattering of dead mice and other vermin, the place was void of any evidence that anyone had dwelled there. Not even so much as a coffee mug or an old dustpan was to be found. Elmyra had taken virtually everything to Kalm it seemed. Either that, or bandits had finished relieving the house of it's wares.

"Hmm...Didn't think it'd be picked clean like this." Kier said to herself, a bit concerned now that there may be nothing here at all, let alone what she was looking for. "...Well, I came all this way. Maybe there's something up there."

As Kier made her way to the stairwell to search the top floor, she heard a human-like thump above her. Without a moment wasted, Kier unearthed a silver magnum from the holster inside of her jacket and fearlessly proceeded up the stairs...

--

"What the hell? Is someone following me?" Andie whispered to herself as she took cover inside the closet of Aeris' old room.

The floral entrepreneur of Kalm stood silently in hiding as the sound of boots marched ever closer to her location.

"...A gun...Not afraid to use it either. Can't startle them..." Andie assessed of the other intruder with her sixth sense.

"...Who's here?" Kier demanded from the center of the room. "Show yourself."

Slowly, Andie emerged from the closet and came face to face with the other young woman...

"...Who are you?" Kier inquired, putting her gun away, so as not to frighten Andie into action.

"I should ask the same thing." Andie replied.

"I asked first, and I have a gun."

"...Fair enough. I am...Andrewella Chiefstone."

"Andrewella? What kind of name is that?"

"What's yours?"

"Kier."

"Ha ha ha.You're talking about my name? What the heck is a Kier?" Andie taunted, not really remembering Kier had a weapon.

"Shut up! It's my last name okay!?" Kier barked, her cheeks slightly blushing.

"Then what's your first, Miss Kier?"

"None of your damn business...What are you doing playing in abandoned houses anyway? Don't you have some dollies to play with or something?"

"Look who's talking. Besides, I outgrew dolls a long time ago...I have as much right to be here as you do, so don't check me."

"I don't really give a damn about your being here. Just as long as you didn't take what I'm looking for."

"That being?"

"Tch. You and the questions...If you must know, I'm looking for something that belonged to Aeris Gainsborough. Actually, it belonged to Ifalna Gast, but was given to Aeris upon Ifalna's death. I have to find it, and quickly."

"Over my dead body." Andie boldly stated.

"Excuse me?"

"Over my dead body, Kier. Anything here that belonged to Ifalna and or Aeris belongs to me."

"By what right!?" Kier demanded, livid at Andie's insolence.

"By Ifalna being my mother!"

"Wha...What? That's nonsense. Ifalna's not your mother. She's my mother."

Andie's heart skipped a beat as she gasped for a breath...

"...Wh-What did you just say?"

"I said Ifalna is my mother, not yours."

"No...You're wrong, Kier. You can't be..."

"Yes I can, okay? And don't you ever claim my mother as your own again, you hear?"

"Wait, wait, wait." Andie pleaded, making the "timeout" sign used in sports with her hands. "Hold the phone, Kier. Are you saying you're Ifalna's daughter?"

"I am. I know that for a fact. You are the one who lies."

"No, I'm not...Oh my God. Kier, are you a Neo-Cetra?"

"What do you know about the Neo-Cetra?"

"I am a Neo-Cetra." Andie answered.

"Liar. You're not a Neo-Cetra. All the other ones were destroyed years ago, and I'm--"

"The only one left." Andie finished for Kier.

"That's right, and don't you ever cut me off like that."

"Kier, don't you see?"

"See what?"

"A Neo-Cetra, just like you. Look into my eyes, would you?"

Kier reluctantly gazed deep into Andie's eyes, and saw the unmistakable glow...

"...So what? You could be a junkie for all I know." Kier rebuffed.

"You know that's not true, Kier."

"No. You're not like me. You can't be. I'm the only one. I'm the last Neo-Cetra, and you're a liar."

"Yeah? Maybe _you're_ lying. How do I know you're not full of it." Andie countered.

"I can prove I am who I claim to be. Look." Kier ordered as she removed her jacket, turned around, and pointed to her upper back.

Located just in between her shoulder blades, there was an elaborate tattoo that read 'PAG-S-006-BETA'...

"Oh my god...That tattoo...Kier, look."

"Huh?"

Andie grabbed her hair and moved it aside to reveal the same type of tattoo in between her own shoulder blades, this one reading 'PAG-S-001-BETA'...

"...Well, I'll be damned..." Kier barely could whisper.

"You see?"

"..."

There was virtually nothing that Kier could say in argument. The tattoo Andie had shown her, the same tattoo as hers, was proof positive that Andie spoke the truth. She too was a Neo-Cetra, and Kier's days as the last of her kind were over, the same as they were for Andie.

"Then it's true. You're Ifalna's child too." Kier uttered, in a state of shock.

"Small world isn't it?" Andie tried to lighten the mood.

"Not that small, Chiefstone." Kier snapped.

"Hey, we're sisters now. You can call me Andie."

"Look, I can't now deny that you're a Neo-Cetra like me, but we are not doing the family thing. Got it?"

"...Right. Sorry about that."

"Just don't mistake me, Andrewella."

"Formal name, eh? Well, shouldn't I know yours too? We are sis...err, common test subjects now."

"...Krysten." Kier revealed as her first name.

"Okay...Kryss."

"Krysten. Not Kryss, Kryssie, _never_ Krystie." Kier sharply checked Andie about her namesake.

"Okay, don't bite my head off...So, Krysten, what brings you to the neighborhood? What is it of our mum's that you're looking for?"

"Sorry, Andrewella. Full disclosure stops here. Not like you'd know about it anyway."

"Try me, sis."

"The Holy materia, okay?"

"...Umm...Kier, I know we've never met until today, but I'm sure you weren't living under a rock. The Holy materia was lost three years ago when our lovely sister had a run in with a big sword."

"I know about all that, okay? I also know that the materia Aeris had on her the day she was killed was not the Holy materia."

"...Uh, come again?"

"It was no more the Holy materia than any rock you could find outside a Mako reactor. It was a stand-in."

"Okay, I am now officially confused."

"Andrewella, Aeris was a lot of things, but dumb wasn't one of them. You think she'd go trotting the globe with AVALANCHE carrying the real Holy?"

"Valid point...But, how do you explain the way the materia Aeris had glowed?"

"...And I guess you're amazed by street magic too?" Kier sniped.

" Ouch. Harsh."

"Whatever...Look, the true Holy materia was never with Aeris. I came here to find it. If it's not here, there's no reason for me to stay."

"Well, I haven't seen any materia around here. Sorry."

"I didn't say I wasn't going to look for myself, Andrewella. Stay out of my way."

"As you wish...sis."

"Grrr..."


	10. So fast that she didn't see it coming

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #11-"So fast that she didn't see it coming"

"...It's not here." Kier uttered to herself.

Having turned up nothing in her sweep of Aeris' old bedroom, Krysten Kier decided that the true Holy materia wasn't on the premises as she'd hoped.

"Giving up?" Andie asked her newly found Neo-Cetran counterpart.

"I don't give up. I move on."

"...There's a difference?"

"Yes, okay?"

"Okay, okay...So, now what, Kryss?"

"Krysten."

"Sorry. Krysten, now what?"

"What do you mean now what? You're not my partner. My plans don't concern you, Andrewella."

"Sure they do. Lest you forgot, dear sis, I have a claim to that materia too. I also have a right to know what you plan on doing with it."

"..."

Kier closed her eyes and sighed.

"...You have a point, perhaps." she admitted.

"Of course I do. So?"

"I have to find it. That's all I know."

"...Eh? That's all you know? What the hell is that?"

"It's what I said."

"You didn't say anything."

"Fine. Andrewella, I have to find the real Holy because--"

Before Kier could begin, she was interrupted by a loud crash outside.

"What the...?"

"Shhh." Kier ordered as she pulled out her perfectly polished silver firearm and ventured out to the hallway.

"Krysten, wait." Andie said as she followed closely behind, but not too close.

The Neo-Cetran duo went back downstairs and then toward the front door, Kier never letting her aim down. The braided young woman slowly stepped outside--

-BANG-

"Ah!" Andie shrieked as she leaped ten feet in the air.

"...Hmph."

Ten feet from where Kier stood, on the debris littered sidewalk, a gigantic rat lay in a pool of it's own newly liberated blood. The markswoman had shot so fast that Andie never saw Kier shift her focus to the target, if she did shift her focus at all.

"Oh my God...He's not getting up from _that_." Andie nervously observed.

"Stupid rodent. What a waste of a bullet." Kier snorted, the smoking gun still in hand.

"...Krysten, I don't think that a giant rat could've made a crash like that."

"Of course not." Kier uttered as she continued to search the area.

"...Wow, Krysten. You're a regular crackshot." Andie commented as she searched with her sister. "You shot that rat so fast I that never even saw you aim. And you shot it so precise too."

"Heh. What can I say?" Kier slightly gloated.

"You can tell me how you did that. Is it a Neo-Cetran ability?"

"I guess. The truth is, I've just always felt natural with a firearm. Even when I was little, I felt comfort with the grip of a pistol. I hope that doesn't sound sick."

"Doesn't bother me. I'm just impressed with your marksmanship."

"Thanks...It's just in my blood, that's all I can say."

"In your blood? Ha ha ha."

"Why do you laugh?" Kier asked, slightly hurt by Andie's reaction to her confession.

"I'm sorry, Krysten. It's just the way you said that. In your blood. Ha ha. Like your father was a great marksman or something."

"...Well, I don't know _who_ my biological father is. Maybe he was a great marksman, for all I know."

"Could have been."

"Yeah."

"...Krysten, I think maybe that noise was just a large piece of debris falling. I don't sense anything malicious out here."

"Me neither...Yeah, just debris."

"Mmm-hmm...So, you were saying?"

"...Oh, that's right. The true Holy. I need to find it. It's important...Andrewella, there is more to the true Holy than you or anyone else knows. It is not merely the materia needed by a Cetra to summon the ultimate Holy magic."

"What is it, really?"

"It's everything, Andrewella. It is not just a piece of materia. It is the very soul of the planet."

"That's some pretty heady shit." Andie cracked, forgetting her manners for a brief moment.

"If only you knew, kid." Kier said in as light a tone as she'd displayed since meeting Andie. "The true Holy is the encasement of the planet's very being. To hold it is to literally hold the heart of Gaia in your hands. It's also more than somewhat volatile. That's why Aeris never went cavorting about with it stuck up in her hair."

"Right, right...But, if she never carried the real Holy on her person, how did she summon Holy at the altar?"

"Make no mistake about it, Andrewella. Aeris did reach the planet's consciousness with her prayer, and Holy was summoned, but the true Holy was never in the building. In actuality, the true Holy did not need to be on Aeris' physical person for her to use it. She could have used it from any remote distance."

"What? She never needed it on her to use it?"

"No. Hence the faux Holy that she wore, the one that glowed at the altar."

"Ohhhh...Our sister was one smart cookie."

"Smarter than most...Anyway, the reason I have to find the true Holy is simple. It needs a new guardian. Aeris was the last guardian of the real Holy, i.e. the planet. She's dead, and as such, the planet needs a new guardian now... Am I making sense, Andrewella?"

"Perfect sense."

"Good...Then you'll understand why I have to do this."

Kier pointed the barrel of her gun directly between Andie's glowing turquoise eyes, which grew as wide as saucers at this sudden turn of events.

"Wh-what the hell are you doing!?" Andie shrieked.

"Sorry Andrewella. I didn't think I'd ever meet another Neo-Cetra. I believed I was the only one until today. Imagine my surprise when I learned there was one like me after all. The matter is, only a Cetra can be the guardian of Gaia, and seeing how I'm comfortable with being the one and only Cetra, you must go."

Andie trembled in her shoes and felt her hands get clammy. Death was staring her directly in the face, but she did not want Kier to see she was afraid, so she put on her bravest act and scowled at her would-be killer.

"...It's like that?"

"It's like that."

"Then you'd damn well better make it count." Andie brazenly warned Kier.

"You know I will. Goodbye Andrewella."

Andie squeezed her eyes shut and...

-BANG-


	11. Locked on

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #12-"Locked on"

_Oh, my God..._

-BANG-

Andie stood still with her eyes squeezed shut. A gun was fired, and she was sure it was the one that Kier had pointed between her eyes...

"Ow! Shit!"

_Huh?_

Hearing Kier yelp out loud, Andie dared to slit her eyes open, and was shocked to see her counterpart doubled over in pain!

"Ah...Kier?"

"Dammit! Who did that!?" Kier cursed through bared teeth, clutching her right hand, which Andie noticed was bleeding badly.

Andie also noticed Kier's gun had been freed from her grip and lay by her own feet. Andie quickly picked it up, turned it on her sister, and cocked the hammer.

"Freeze!" Andie ordered, now being the one in control.

"...Oh shit." Kier uttered.

The tables had turned on Krysten in the span of only five seconds. Even though it was not her intent to kill Andie, it was Andie who didn't see it that way.

"...A-Andrewella, I can explain!" Krysten nervously pleaded.

"Explain what!? How exactly my brains would've splattered all over the place!?"

"No, Andrewella! I was only--"

"You were only what? You were only playing? You weren't really gonna do me in? Fuck you, bitch! I wasn't concocted yesterday!"

"Andrewella, if you'd just--"

"Shut up! Shut up or I'll paint the sidewalk red with you!"

"...Do it now then. Go ahead..." Kier ordered Andie as she squeezed her eyes shut and lowered her head, blonde braids partially concealing her face.

"Do it? Oh, so you're just gonna give up now?"

"Don't mock me. Just do it, dammit."

"...No."

"Fool! I put a gun in your face!"

"I'm fully aware of that, Kier. Fortunately, somebody here didn't think it was my time." Andie spoke of the mystery shooter who stopped Kier from shooting her.

"...What will you do with me then?"

"How the fuck should I know? I'm kinda new at this here."

"..."

"Damn...I can't just blow your brains out, but...how do I let you off the hook after what you did?"

"...I don't expect you to...I deserve to pay."

"Yeah, you do. But, I'm not a murderer...Dammit...Kier, just keep your eyes and your mouth shut."

"Andrew--"

"Shut the fuck up I said!" Andie barked, thrusting the firearm forward for emphasis.

"..."

"Good...I'm leaving, and this gun's coming with me. Follow me, and you're a dead woman. You stay put until I'm good and gone, you hear?"

"...Yes..."

With her aim still squarely on Kier, Andie walked backward, and once she felt far enough away, turned and ran for her life...

Several minutes later, Kier felt it had been long enough. She opened her eyes to see that Andie was indeed long gone, but with her prized firearm in tow.

"...Andrewella?" she barely called out above a whisper.

"She's gone." A familiar voice replied, startling Kier.

"Ah! Who...Oh my God. _You_."

Vincent had emerged from out of nowhere and stood above Kier.

"Vincent Valentine..."

"You remember."

"O-Of course I do." Kier said as she rose to her feet, still gripping her right hand with her left. "What are you doing here?"

"I followed you."

Kier was taken aback by Vincent's blunt reply.

"You followed me!?"

"Yes, and it is fortunate that I did. You were going to kill Andie, were you not?"

"That's not the issue! You're stalking me!" Kier whined.

"To which I'm certain Andie is grateful."

"...Hey! _You_ shot me, didn't you!? Admit it!"

"Yes, I did shoot at you. It was not my intention to hit you, but you moved."

"Oh, that's so freakin' comforting! Stupid jerk!"

"Me? You were the one about to kill Andie in cold blood, and I am the jerk?"

"Ah, but...I wasn't going to kill her you idiot!"

"A likely story."

"It's true! I merely was going to warn her to stay out of my way, but you didn't let me get that far!"

"Hmph. My apologies." Vincent responded, tongue in cheek.

"I wasn't going to kill Andrewella, whether you believe me or not. I'm not a murderer, especially not of my own flesh and blood."

"...Your own flesh and blood?"

"Yes, didn't you hear me? Andrewella is my sister, but I just found out."

"...You too are a Neo-Cetra?"

"Surprise, surprise."

"My word...And then there were two." Vincent mused.

"Hey, what do you know about the Neo-Cetra?"

"Precious little."

"Then what do you care?"

"I don't, not about Project GARDEN or Neo-Cetra. I am only concerned with Andie."

"Then why the blue hell are you stalking me?"

"I had a feeling about you. It was only by chance that you'd lead me here to Andie."

"You had a feeling about me? I'm flattered." Kier sassed, still clutching her hand.

Vincent took Kier's wounded hand and examined it...

"...I'll live." Kier said.

"Good. Still, you must get it treated."

"I'm a Neo-Cetra. I heal fast, and I'm immune to infection."

"Is that so?"

"It is..."

Kier noticed that Vincent still held her hand. She slightly blushed and took it away.

"Sorry, Miss Kier." Vincent apologized.

"You just ought to be. Andrewella got away with my piece because of your meddling. I do so cherish that magnum. It's been by my side ever since I was a teenager, and I've never lost it, not for even a second. You're going to get it back from Andrewella for me."

"Oh, am I?" Vincent questioned.

"Damn right you are. You made me drop it in the first place, did you not?"

"Minor technicality."

"It's your fault. You owe me my property." Kier sternly demanded, stomping the dirt with the thick rubber sole of her boot for emphasis.

"Tantrums will get you nowhere with me."

"I am not throwing a tantrum. I'm only trying to get my point through your thick skull."

"...Very well."

"Very well what? You'll get me my property back?"

"No. I have no time. I'm already late for a previous engagement."

"Late? You dumbass, you were following me. Duh."

"I don't regret that. I would be regretful if I missed this appointment though. Perhaps later I will retrieve your gun from Andie."

"Fool, you don't get later. Whatever it is you have to be to, you got yourself an escort now."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm tagging along, Valentine."

"Ahem...Um...You are hardly dressed for a wedding, Kier. Also, I don't do dates."

"Did I say I gave a shit? And you're one to talk about dressing up, vampire boy."

"I'll have you know that I was quite stylish once upon a time."

"Whatever. Let's go, gothie."

"...You won't let me off the hook, will you?"

"Nope. You're stuck with me until I get my property back, Valentine. I'm your new frickin' best friend."

"...Excellent. Just excellent."

--

Meanwhile, Andie has made it all the way to a parcel of grassland outside of town, a parcel of grassland that just happened to serve as the landing/docking area for a certain giant airship...

"Okay...It's only a matter of time before that crazy bitch comes after me. I gotta get outta here." Andie said to herself, out of breath and hopped up on adrenaline.

She looked over to the Highwind and got an idea.

"...You're my ticket outta here, big bird."


	12. Lacking coordination

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #13-"Lacking coordination"

"Let's go then, Valentine." Kier ordered her non-date.

"Hold it right there."

"What? Is there a problem?"

"Yes. Don't you remember? You're not dressed properly." Vincent pointed.

"And I remember saying 'who cares?'. My outfit is fine."

"Any other day, yes, but not on this day. You can't be my guest dressed like that, Kier."

"Well, what the hell do you want me to do? I don't have any other clothes."

"There's still time. We'll get you a decent outfit at one of the shops along the way."

"No way. I'm not gonna get all fancy for a wedding that I don't even care about."

"Do you want your gun back or not?"

"Yeah, but...I hate dressing up. I don't want to." Kier grizzled.

"No more of your whining. Either you can look presentable, or you can look for Andie on your own. I do not have to get your property back, Kier."

Kier was a stubborn, headstrong young woman. She was not a fool, however. She knew Vincent had gone as far with her protests as he would go...

"...Tch. Fine. I'll play it your way, but I won't like it."

"Fair enough."

"I'm not paying for it either, Valentine. This is on your dime."

"Of course. That is not a problem."

"Good...Just so we understand each other."

"I certainly hope." Vincent stated as he began on his way out of Sector 5.

"Hey, wait up."

--

That was approximately thirty-three minutes ago. Since then, Vincent had taken Kier to a trendy clothier on the west side of Edge for some new threads that would go at a wedding. The end result would be an outfit that consisted of a pale yellow sundress and white high heels with straps that wrapped around her ankles...

"...How do I look?" Kier asked after she'd come out of the fitting room and displayed herself for Vincent, posing like a runway model in mock fashion.

"Oh my...Umm..." Vincent stammered, uncharacteristically stunned by Kier's new look.

"I look dumb, don't I?" Kier mumbled as she hung her head, her blonde braids freely falling down to toward the floor.

"No, Kier. Quite the contrary. You look stunning."

Kier had been called quite a few things in her life, but stunning was never on the list. It was greatly unexpected, as evidenced by Kier's audible loss of breath and undeniable facial blushing.

"Thank you." was all that Krysten could force from her mouth as part of her wanted to flee the scene due to embarrassment.

"...You don't look pleased."

"I-I am. Really. Thank you...It's just, I don't get too many compliments like that."

"Well, be that as it may, you are now presentable. I've already settled the bill. Let's get going."

"Okay..."

Not being accustomed to high heels at all, Kier tried valiantly to walk with Vincent out of the store without tripping or rolling an ankle. She succeeded, and with each careful step thereafter was fast becoming accustomed to the experience.

"This isn't so bad...Just one foot before the other..." Kier said, walking and watching her feet at the same time.

"You're a natural." Vincent commented, still clutching the bag that contained Kier's old outfit and boots.

"Thanks...You know, people are gonna think we're an item." Kier said out of blue.

"No, they won't. Trust me."

"Why not? What, you got a girl already?" Kier dared to pry, placing her gaze now on Vincent.

"...Not necessarily."

"You had a girl?"

"It's a long story..."

"Oh, the 'long story' bit. In other words, back off."

"I didn't say that."

"Oh...That's what people usually mean when they say it's a long story."

"...Rock."

"Huh? Whoa!"

Before she knew it, Kier had tripped on an errant rock that was in her path, and fell into Vincent's swiftly reacting arms.

"Oh my God..."

"I tried to warn you."

"..."

For what seemed like an eternity, Krysten remained in her half-fallen position, gazing upward into Vincent's mysterious crimson eyes, as he took the moment to become immersed in Kier's glowing blues.

"Um...Anytime you wanna let me up is fine." Kier said, with Vincent immediately complying and helping her stand once more. "Thanks for catching me. I didn't even see that stupid rock."

"I'm sure it did not see you either."

"Ha ha ha...I didn't think you had a sense of humor."

"Neither did I."

"No? Hmm..."

With no more stumbles or falls, the non-couple eventually made it to the wide open grasslands, where the Highwind awaited...

"Vincent, you didn't say we had to fly cross-continent to get to this wedding." Kier protetsed.

"We don't. The airship is where the wedding is taking place."

"Are you joking? It's happening on that airship?"

"That's correct."

"Who the hell gets married on an airship? Who's idea was that?"

"None other than the groom himself."

"Oh. Figures it was a man who thought of something so dumb." Kier said haughtily, eliciting a small chuckle from Vincent.

Kier instinctively grabbed onto his left hand to steady herself as she stepped across the soft grasslands in those high heels. Vincent subconsciously slowed his own pace to accomidate her.

"...I could carry you if you'd like." Vincent offered, halfway in earnest.

"I'm wearing heels, Vincent. I'm not crippled." Kier replied, slightly grinning.

"Fortunately...How is you hand by the way?"

"My hand? Oh, it's fine. You only grazed it...To tell you the truth, you stunned me more than hurt me. I'm not accustomed to someone getting the jump on me like that."

"No?"

"Uh-uh. My sixth sense usually doesn't allow something like what you did to happen to me. I dunno...It failed me I guess...I gotta give Andrewella credit though. She showed some swift thinking by grabbing my gun and making her escape."

"I saw it all...Though I was afraid she would kill you."

"...Then why didn't you shoot her?" Kier asked, stopping cold in her stride.

"I couldn't..."

"You couldn't? What, did you run out of bullets?"

"No...I couldn't shoot Andie."

"Do you mean couldn't, or wouldn't?"

"...Wouldn't."

"So, let me get my head wrapped around this. You wouldn't have shot her? But it was okay to shoot _me_?" Kier asked, more than peeved at the notion.

"No, Kier. It's not what it sounds like--"

"You asshole!"

"Kier, you didn't let me--"

"Uh-uh! I knew you were a jerk after all!"

"Kier--"

"Save it! You have nothing to say to me until this is over, and then you still have nothing to say to me! You big stupid jackass!"

Vincent could only sigh as Kier snatched her hand out of his and marched a few wide strides ahead, preferring to risk injuring an ankle...

"...Kier, wait."

"I can't hear you!"

"Kier, let me explain."

Krysten stopped and spun round on her toes, deftly hiding a near-trip.

"What? What's there to explain?"

"Why I could not shoot Andie. It was the same reason I couldn't let you harm her."

"Oh, I see. You got a thing for her." Krysten harshly perceived. "Well that's just fine by me."

"No, Kier. I don't have a thing for Andie. The truth is, I felt inclined to protect her for another reason."

"...That being?"

"I think, Kier, there is a good chance that Andie could be related to me. By blood."

"What?"

"...It's a long shot, but definitely possible. Andie could be my last living relative."

"Oh my God...But, how is that possible? Andie and I are both Neo-Cetra. Ifalna Gast is our biological mother...You're related to Ifalna?"

"No. I was not related to her in any way. Nor am I a Cetra myself."

"Are you Gast's brother? Son?"

"I'm not related to Gast either. He did not have anything to do with Project GARDEN anyway."

"I figured that, but...How could you be her relative still?"

Kier, being a somewhat intelligent girl, grasped at the only other explanation there could be, and her mouth fell agape as it hit her...

"No way...But, you're entirely too young!"

"Not actually, Kier. I am much older than I look."

"No freakin' way! You could not be Andie's biological father! It's not possible!"

"Yes, it could."

Vincent briefly explained just what merit his claim held...

"...Stranger things have happened I guess." Kier uttered as she scratched her chin. "But, if you could be Andie's father, then couldn't you be mine too?"

"...I did not consider that. It is possible, Kier."

"Boy, wouldn't that beat all?"

"..."

Both Vincent and Kier were stricken by an uncomfortable awkwardness. It would be the former who snapped out of it first.

"We have to keep moving." he said flatly as he resumed his stride, not resigned to whether or not Kier followed suit.

"Wait up." The young lady mindlessly ordered as she took up her own pace.

--

"Still no sign of him. Looks like he's not gonna show after all." Tifa sighed as she returned from checking around the Highwind for any sign of Vincent.

"Yes he will. He said he would." Yuffie said with as much confidence as she could muster.

"Well, everybody's tired of waiting. We've been waiting forever for this wedding to happen. What the hell could be the hold up?"

"I'm sure he has his reasons...He wouldn't make us wait just for kicks."

"Then what, Yuffie?"

"Teef, relax. He'll be here, and he'll have a good explaination."

"You shouldn't have told him about her." Tifa scolded her young bridesmaid.

"About Andie? What does that have anything to do with it?"

"I don't know...But it has her stink on it. This whole day has her stink on it."

"Oh, boy..."

_Leviathan, if you're listening, it's Yuffie. I know I don't deserve a whole heck of a lot, but I'm begging you: Please let this girl get married so she can stop being a pain in my backside. Pretty please? I'll never steal, or lie, or sneak again...well, I'll _try_...Thanks in advance._

"...What on Gaia are you doing?" Tifa asked Yuffie, who'd suddenly closed her eyes and gone into a ponderous state.

"I was praying, that's all...Look, I'll go sweep the ship just one more time. I'll be quick, okay?"

"Fifteen minutes, and then we start."

"Right. Be right back. And if I find him, I'm gonna cuss him out real good."

"You do that."

"Fer sure Teef." Yuffie vowed as she darted off in the opposite direction, taking care to hold up the tail of her off-white dress.

"Damn Vincent...Damn Andie Chiefstone...Damn Aeris..." Tifa fumed under her breath. "...Better not come anywhere near my wedding, Andie. So help me I'll..."

--

Halfway through her third sweep of the Highwind, which has taken her to the main passenger boarding dock, Yuffie is ready to concede to Vincent being a no-show. Just as she sighs and turns to walk away, she hears the "whoosh" of the main hatch opening...

" ...Vinnie?"

The door slowly rose upward to allow access from the other side. Once it was raised completely, the sunlight shone in to reveal, standing on the other side...


	13. Business unusual

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #14-"Business unusual"

"...Hey, you're not Vinnie." Yuffie told a man she'd never seen before who was awaiting permission to board the Highwind.

"Um, no I'm not. Where do you want these?" The young man asked.

The man was heavy set, with black hair and a black goatee. He wore the uniform of a courier for Junon Transcontinental Delivery, the parent company of Cloud's "Strife Delivery". He had with him a rather generous and healthy looking bouquet of butter flowers, a gift obviously intended for the happy couple.

"Those? Oh, well...I can take them." Yuffie said as she reached for the flowers, which were denied her by the delivery guy.

"Aren't we forgetting something?" He reminded the young bridesmaid, rubbing the tips of his index and middle fingers with the tip of his thumb.

"Are you kidding me dude? I don't have any gil on me."

"No gil, no flowers."

"What? Stop playing already. Give 'em."

"Tch. Here...Cheap tart."

"Excuse me?" Yuffie dared the man to repeat.

"Oh, nothing."

"Get outta here, dork." she commanded, shooing him back outside while collecting the flower arrangement.

After securing the hatch as Cid had taught her, Yuffie examined the delicate cargo in her possession.

"Who the heck sent these?" She wondered aloud, then noticed a small greeting card tucked in between the stems of the plants. "Hmm...Well, I _am_ the maid of honor." She reasoned with herself as she took the pale yellow card, and opened it in hopes of learning who sent it.

'To my dear old friends, Tifa and Cloud. In lieu of my presence, please accept these as a token of my absolute best wishes on your most joyous day.

J.'

"...J? Who the hell is J? I guess Tifa would know..."

Yuffie simply shrugged and turned around, but before she could set foot on her way back to Tifa, the hatch made it's unmistakable opening noise once again...

"I said no tip, jerkface." Yuffie called out as she turned back around, thinking the clueless delivery guy had returned.

When the door opened all the way, however, it was none other than Vincent who would be on the outside...along with Kier...

"Vinnie! _There_ you are!" Yuffie half-cheered, half-scolded. "Where the heck have you been!? We were gonna give up on you and start the show!"

"I'm terribly sorry, Yuffie. I did not think I was that late."

"Ha. As usual, only thinking of yourself..." Yuffie teased with a relived giggle.

By now, Ms. Kisaragi had taken full notice of one Krysten Kier...

"Hello." She greeted Vincent's non-date. "...Vincent, you _dog_. Why didn't you _say_ you were bringing a date?"

"I, ah...Yuffie--"

"I'm not his date." Kier interjected for Vincent, who was secretly grateful.

"Oh, no? Then, who the heck are you?"

"A tag-along. I'm with Vincent on business, nothing more and nothing less."

"Business? Vinnie, what business?"

"It's a long story, Yuffie. Shouldn't we be going?"

"...Right. Uh, Vinnie, if it's not too much trouble, could she and I meet you there?"

"I wasn't planning on lagging behind Vincent." Kier stated.

"I'll only keep you for a minute." Yuffie assured her.

"...Will you be alright?" Vincent asked Krysten.

"Go ahead, Valentine. We'll meet you." She replied with her eyes on Yuffie.

Against his better judgment, Vincent walked away and left Kier all alone, with Yuffie...

"...Alright. Now you can talk. Who are you? What business are you on with Vinnie anyway?"

"What, are you his secretary?"

"No. I'm his friend. Who are you?" Yuffie continued to pry.

"The name's Kier."

"Kier?...Kier what?"

"Krysten Kier, if you must know."

"...Well I'll be damned. You're the one and only Krysten Kier, a.k.a. 'Whipshot'."

"Among other nicknames. So you've heard of me? I'm flattered."

"Heard of you? You're only the most feared marksman in the world, you know."

"Oh, please don't pad my ego." Kier insisted, feeling her proverbial head swell.

"I wasn't trying to...Figures you're paling around with Vinnie. What, you two meet at the firearms dealer in Old Sector Two and hit it off? Maybe reached for the same Death Penalty bullets and touched hands?"

"Oh, you are such a riot." Kier mocked. "Actually, no. You're not."

"Oh, golly gosh darn."

"Sorry to break it to you...Look, Vincent and I met this morning as I was coming to town. Some things went down after that, and now I need him to do something for me. But first I have to sweat this out, this wedding. That is the honest-to-goodness truth. I'm not his date or anything like that. I don't even like him."

"Okay, okay. You made your point. I believe you...But, just so you know, I'm not interested in him or anything..."

"Good for you. Your point?"

"Just saying...He's wide open, that's all..."

"I'm not passing to him." Kier sternly insisted.

"If you say so..."

"I'm not! I don't like him, okay!?"

"Shhh! The whole ship can hear you." Yuffie hissed.

"Oops...I don't like him, okay? How could I? He's crazy."

"Crazy? Well, Vinnie's always been a weirdo, but he's not crazy." Yuffie murmured.

"Yuffie, don't laugh when I tell you this. He thinks that there's some outside chance he could be my old man."

"...Eh?"

"My father. He says...No, never mind. It's too embarrassing to even repeat."

"Kier, why on Gaia would Vinnie think you're his kid? He never had any kids. I mean, Lucretia had Sephiroth, but he wasn't Vinnie's. What the heck are you talking about?"

"...Well, since you're Valentine's friend I guess I can trust you...Yuffie, I'm not like other people. I am a survivor of an extremely rare race, known as Neo-Cetra."

"Oh my gawd." Yuffie gasped. "You're a Neo-Cetra too?"

"...I take it you know my counterpart, Andrewella."

"Yeah, I met her yesterday...She said that she was the only one of you left."

"As I thought I was the only one, until this afternoon."

"Wow. Now there's two Neo-Cetra...But, I still don't get how this pertains to Vinnie."

"...He claims that, prior to the GARDEN project's launch, he was a paternal DNA donor to the cause. Simply put, he thinks there's a chance his seed was used in creating Andrewella and I."

"Oh my God...Vinnie, a proud papa? For real though?"

"That's not for certain, Yuffie...His claim does, logistically, hold some water, but I'm not buying in. Not yet."

"Why not?"

"Why should I? I don't need a father figure at this point, especially not a creep like Valentine."

"Kier, don't say that. I think it'd be awesome if Vinnie were yours and Andie's dad...He'd be happy, and damn proud to boot."

"He would?"

"Hell yeah...I mean, Vincent's been virtually alone ever since he lost the love of his life, Lucretia. If you and Andie were his kids, he wouldn't be alone anymore. I know it sounds corny as heck, but..."

"No, I get it...Well, when you put it that way."

"You could cut him some slack then, right?"

"I guess...Hey, aren't we late?"

"Totally. Let's get outta here...Nice to meet you, by the way."

"Same."

--

Meanwhile, a certain uninvited guest has managed to board the highwind and remain unseen by the throng of folks looking for Vincent. She's settled in the refuge of the darkened and inactive engine room for the time being, cursing her ongoing horrendous luck...

"Andie, Andie, Andie...Why did you even get out of bed this morning? Ha, ha, ha...Right now, right this very minute, I could be at my shop working, making money. But, nooooo. I had to come to Edge...Get my life threatened by my new psycho sister, crash the mile-high wedding of the woman who hated my sister's guts, play stowaway in an engine room...Ha...What should I do for an encore?"

Andie sat on the cold, unforgiving floor and leaned up against a wall in the corner. Exhausted, frightened, and armed with a gun, Andie waited for her next move to present itself.

"Hello? Who's in here?"

But she didn't have to wait for too long...


	14. Checkpoint

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #15-"Checkpoint"

"Is someone in there?" Red XIII called out, his extreme sense of smell picking up on a familiar fragrance.

Andie remained hidden in the darkness, paralyzed with fear. Her mind was racing, thinking of what she would do if this person discovered her.

"Damn...Just go away, please...just go the hell away..." Andie silently pleaded.

Her wishes were lost on the fates however, as Red cautiously ventured into the darkened room. Andie could feel her heart beating in her throat, as the gentle beast effortlessly walked along in the darkened room (thanks tohis ability to see through even the darkest of darkness).

"...Ah-ha. You, in the corner." Red hailed, having discovered the helpless stowaway.

"Damn...Okay, okay."

Red XIII ventured closer to Andie, who'd all but given up on trying to escape.

"Okay, you got me. Whatever." The flower peddler sassed the leader of the Cosmo village. "Lock me in the holding tank or whatever you do to stowaway wedding crashers. Frankly, I don't care anymore."

"...By the stars...Could you be...?" Red suddenly wondered.

"Could I be who? Hey, where the hell are you? How can you see me?"

"Andrewella Chiefstone? Is that you?"

"Huh? Wh-who are you? How do you know me? Where are you?"

"Oh, where are my manners? Please, step out into the light." Red asked as he walked back out to the well lit corridor.

Andie hesitantly followed, and upon seeing just who had found her, she was overcome with a warm feeling of familiarity.

"Oh my God...Nanaki?"

"Andie. Yes, it is I"

"Nanaki..." the young woman sighed as knelt down before Red and embraced him around his neck...

Andrewella and Red had met and became very good friends not long after the Meteor crisis. It was when Andie's coming-of-age travels around the world brought her to Cosmo Canyon, where Red met her and was instantly fascinated by her resemblance to Aeris, his fallen comrade.

"Nanaki, it's so good to see you again."

"Ah...Andrewella, you look well."

"Ha, ha. Thanks. You're looking pretty good yourself, Nanaki. So are these." Andie teased as she mischievously tugged at Red's protruding ears, a favorite pastime of her's from those old Cosmo Canyon days.

"Ow...I still detest that." He protested as he snatched his head away from Andie's hands.

"Ha, ha, ha..."

"Hmph...Andrewella, what in heaven's name are you doing here of all places? Why are you stowing away on this ship?"

"Oh, Nanaki...It's such a long story."

"You look troubled, my friend. What's wrong?"

"...Nothing major. Just that someone's out to kill me."

"My word. Who is? Why?"

"...Her name's Kier. Krysten Kier to be exact. And she's a Neo like me...She was gonna blow my brains out with this." Andie told Red as she unearthed Kier's gun from her handbag.

"With that?"

"Yes, with this very gun...But, I guess I had an angel looking out for me. Somebody shot her sniper style from out of nowhere, and she dropped this...I did the only thing that made sense and grabbed it..."

"Oh my...You didn't actually use it, did you?"

"No, no...I didn't shoot her or anything. I just used the gun to hold her off. I really wound up running like hell."

"I see...And here you are, attempting to get home. Correct?"

" Yeah. That basically sums it up...Silly me, I stumble on the one airship that's hosting a wedding. Not only a wedding, but the wedding of the woman who more than didn't like my sister. Lucky me, eh?"

"Ho,ho,ho...Most unfortunate indeed, my friend."

"That's not funny." Andie scolded as she tugged Red's ears yet again.

"I'm terribly sorry...You're safe now, Andie. That's all that matters."

"Yeah...Damn lunatic Kier. If I never see her again, it'll be too soon."

"I most certainly hope you've lost her."

"I hope so too...I know she's pissed that I got her gun, but oh well. Her bad...Listen, you got a wedding to get to. Don't worry about me. I'll find another way home."

"Nonsense. You will remain on this ship, as my guest. I'm certain that Cid will give you a lift once the wedding has finished."

"Cid? Old guy, kinda gruff?"

"Yes."

"Oh, I met him yesterday...He had the unmitigated audacity to smoke in my shop."

"Well, that's Cid. I'm sure he meant no harm"

"I'll bet...Okay then, Nanaki. I suppose I'll sit tight until later."

"Surely you do not wish to wait in the engine room of all places. Why not accompany me to the ceremony?"

"No can do. Tifa would not appreciate my presence in the least bit, and Cloud would just be confused."

"You have a point, my friend...Perhaps you can wait in one of the guest cabins then."

"That sounds better I guess. Lead the way."

"Yes, but let us make haste."

"Don't worry about me. A little more running won't hurt." Andie chuckled.

--

Finally, after a morning and afternoon filled with chaos, stress, and nerves, the wedding is set to begin.

Everyone involved in the ceremony is in place, and all of the guests have arrived, including Reno, Rude, and Elena, not to mention Vincent's impromptu escort...

"...I hope this goes quick...Everybody keeps eyeballing me, especially that redheaded guy." Kier complained, sitting beside Vincent in the front row of folding chairs.

"No one is eyeballing you, Kier." Vincent said in a hushed tone.

"...That guy is ogling me." Kier whined about Reno's unwelcome attention coming from the other side of the aisle.

"Just ignore him."

"Sorry. It's just that can't get used to these kinds of settings. I hate large gatherings."

"Well, that is what weddings usually are. You insisted on coming with me. Did you forget?"

"Sh-shut up. Don't make this about _me_."

"Of course not, Kier..." Vincent sighed, wishing that Kier's would stop her bratty behavior.

"What's that for?"

"What?"

"You sighed. What, was that because of me? Am I infuriating to you or something?"

"...No, Kier. You're just young."

"Hey, I'm twenty-two. I'm not a child."

"Kier, please. Enough." Vincent silently but sternly ordered.

"...Whatever." Kier snapped, knowing Vincent was no longer in the mood for her backtalk.

Meanwhile, Reno's gaze remained fixed squarely on Krysten.

_Damn...How the bloody hell does goth boy end up with a piece of tail like _that_? Argh...You know what? Forget him. I was gonna dance with Tifa, but I go dibs on her now. Valentine's just gonna hafta deal._

As fascinated as he was with Kier, even he snapped to attention when the first chord of The Wedding March was struck.

--

"Showtime." Yuffie said as she and Tifa, with Barret, were set to emerge from the wings and descend to the altar.

"Don't trip on the way." Tifa teased her Maid of Honor.

"Oh Gawd, don't say that. I'm nervous enough."

"You ready?" Barret asked, proud that he would be giving away the young woman who'd been like a little sister to him.

"Ready as I'll ever be, big guy."

"Let's do this then."


	15. Up from beneath it all

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #16-"Up from beneath it all"

_Survivor's instinct...Or sheer luck. Maybe even divine intervention. Hell, all three I guess. However I did it, I survived the unimaginable...Twice._

"Miss J., I successfully made the delivery. I barely made it in time though."

"Don't worry about that...Who ended up taking the package?"

"That Wutainese girl took it. Refused to tip me too, stingy bitch."

"Poor baby...I suppose you didn't see Cloud huh?"

"Nope, no such luck."

"I bet he looks adorable in his tuxedo and all."

"...Say, didn't you have a thing for him way back when?"

"Ha, ha...You could say I had a bit of a crush. I didn't stand a chance against Tifa though...I'm so glad those two finally saw that they were meant to be."

"Are you getting all mushy on me, Miss J.?"

"Who, me? Never. I was just saying..."

"You okay there? You're rubbing your leg again."

"...I'm fine. The pins are just nagging me a bit."

"How much longer will you put up with a halfway-functioning leg? Why won't you just go on and get the prosthetic?"

"No! I told you, I don't want the damned prosthetic! I'm fine!"

"Yeah, yeah...You just don't wanna be like him, an amputee and all."

"Fuck him...I just don't want to be bothered with all that right now. I got more important issues than my stupid leg."

"Whatever you say, Miss J. I'll go get your meds."

"Thank you..."

_Shit. Now that I think about it, I'm almost out of pain medication. I should have had Kellen get my refill while he was out. I'll have to send him tomorrow...One thing's for certain I know. I will not give in and live with a fake leg. This leg came out of the carnage and twisted metal with me and it's staying with me, pins and plates be damned... _

"Blech...This water's warm."

"Sorry, Miss J. The water heater's still on the fritz because _somebody_ hasn't fixed it yet."

"Aw, give me a break. I taught you how to fix the water heater, chocobo brain."

"But every time I try you say I'm doing it wrong."

"That's no excuse, slacker..."

"What's wrong now? You sound tired."

"...I am, a little. But I don't want to lie down just yet."

"Alright, but don't overdo it now."

"I'm fine...If anything, I've had a lot on my mind."

"I don't think that's so."

"...Don't you?"

"No. I think it's something in particular that's got you bothered."

"Really? Pray tell, what has me bothered?"

"I'm gonna go with, ummmm...the Neo-Cetra."

"Heh...You know me too well."

"Yeah, yeah. I'd just ought to, seeing how I've put up with you for three years now."

"Three years?"

"Yup. Count 'em."

"Wow..."

_Was that three years ago? I guess it was, even though a lot of it is a blank. Thanks to that lovely coma, then painkillers and temporary loss of sight._

"Didn't feel like that long...Anyway, you're right. I am preoccupied with the Neo-Cetra. Now that I know there are more out there."

"They're coming out of the woodwork."

"Like termites...I just wonder how many actually died. Maybe all of us survived for what it seems."

"You Neo-Cetra certainly have a knack for survival, Miss J."

"...Apparently."

_A knack for survival...Kellen, you are a funny guy._

--

_...I'm bored...Wait, what the hell am I saying? I've had enough action today to last me for the rest of my childrens lives, and they aren't even around yet..._

After almost an hour of pacing and thumb-twiddling, Andie sat down on the bed in the cabin that Red stashed her in, while the wedding ceremony took place. With the door locked, she felt secure enough to remove the white pumps from her tired, aching feet and lay backwards, arms sprawling the width of the mattress. She let out a hefty sigh and shut her eyelids.

"There's no way I can sleep...I still feel like that crazy bitch is after me." Andie said to no one in particular, instinctively making sure that Kier's gun was still tucked away in her handbag.

Try as she may, Andie could not shake the image of her Neo-Cetran counterpart holding her at gunpoint. Though Kier had no intention of killing her, Andie didn't know that.

"Whoever that was that popped Kier...I owe them big. Like, a-party-with-cake-big. Not like I'll ever know who it was though..."

Remarkably, the Aeris look-alike gradually drifted toward a sub-conscious state. However, when it seemed that sleep was coming, she was gently nudged back to consciousness by the faint hum of organ music coming through the ventilation shaft.

"What the...Oh, right. The Recessional."

Andie could hear as the organ presumably celebrated a newly christened Mr. and Mrs. Cloud Strife. She'd caught a glimpse of Tifa in the church, enough to make out a mental image of her in a wedding gown, smiling and blushing at once.

"Sounds like it's official. They're hitched now." The Neo-Cetra uttered with a smirk.

She sat upright once again, a strange feeling coming over her.

"...Well, congrats. I'm sure you deserve all the happiness in the world, Tifa. Seriously..."

'Strange' began to morph into 'resentful'.

"But, what do I have to be resentful about? No, no. Tifa, I don't resent you. Sure, my sister's dead and you get to live happily ever after, but I'm not resentful for that." Andie spoke in a mock-polite tone that didn't even fool her. "No, not at all...Long live Tifa Strife, right Aeris? May she have everything she deserves, and then some."

By now, Andie was breathing deliberately, gazing down at her toes.

"Long live Tifa Strife, right Aeris? Cheers to her."

After Andie sat and seethed for what seemed like an eternity, there was a gentle tapping on the cabin door. By the pattern of the noise, she knew it was Nanaki, finally come to retrieve her. Upon meekly opening the door, she gestured for her friend to enter.

"You remembered me." She teased, masterfully hiding any signs that she was upset about anything.

"Of course I did. Thank you for your patience, Andrewella."

"Sure thing. So, are we ready to go now?"

"Well...Not quite yet."

"Oh. I guess the reception is being held here too."

"We're already having the reception, actually."

"Oh. I guess that's the hold up."

"Yes...There was another matter that I wanted to bring to your attention, Andie."

"What is it?"

"..Oh dear, Andrewella. I do not know how to tell you this."

"Tell me what?" Andie deadpanned, knowing something she would hate was forthcoming.

"Andrewella, remain calm."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because...There is a young woman by the name of Krysten Kier on board this ship." Nanaki timidly confessed, instinctively bracing for a loud shriek.

"What!?"

"Andie, please!"

"Kier!? She's here!? How did she track me here!?"

"A-Apparently, she accompanied one of our friends to the wedding at the last minute."

"Aw, shit." Andie swore under her breath.

_Perfect. Fucking perfect. Kier's here, live and in the flesh. My luck just keeps getting shittier and shittier...You know what? It's cool though. I got something for her..._

Calmly, Andie retrieved Kier's magnum from her bag and gripped it.

"Andrewella, what on Gaia are you doing!?" Red literally barked.

"Taking care of my problems, Nanaki."

"Put that vile thing away this instant young lady!"

"No."

"Andrewella, please." Red begged, now calming himself. "You are not a killer."

"I'm not?"

"Absolutely not. A killer would be the likes of Sephiroth, Andrewella. I know that you are not like him."

Unable to argue with that logic, Andie gained her composure and put the gun away...


	16. Thorns

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #17-"Thorns"

"Alright, Nanaki. There's no need to compare me to the bastard who killed my sister. I get it." Andie huffed, patting her handbag to show Red that the gun was out of sight.

"I was not comparing you to him. I would never do that."

"No, of course not...So, oh wise one, what do I do about Spider-head then?"

"Spider-head?"

"Krysten, who else?"

"Oh, of course...I'm not entirely certain what the best course of action would be. I do know that killing her would do you no good in the long term."

"I told you, I'm not gonna kill her. I've been imprisoned once before, and that's more than enough...I guess I could just wait until she leaves."

"Um...Actually, therein lies another problem."

"Why am I not surprised? Lay it on me."

"Kier has somewhat commandeered this ship. She blames one of our friends for the loss of that same weapon in your purse, and will not leave him be until she gets it back."

"Wait a second. Kier blames one of your friends for losing her piece? Well, that friend of yours must be the sniper who saved my life."

"They are one and the same. But Kier has now requested that Cid take her to Kalm to look for you."

"...So, she wants to go where I want to go."

"I am afraid so. She will not take no for an answer."

Andie was now so exasperated that she began to chuckle in a disturbing manner.

"Oh my God. Ha, ha, ha...Okay. Nanaki, I know what I have to do."

"I hope nothing drastic, young lady."

"No...I'm gonna do something real simple. I'm gonna give Kier what she wants. She can have her stupid gun back. I'm tired of running from her."

"Andrewella, are you not worried that--"

"No, Nanaki...Kier won't try to murder me on a ship full of witnesses. Besides, she's getting it back unloaded. I'll give her the gun, and we can just go our own damn separate ways."

"But, will she leave you be? Once you are all by yourself, she could try to attack you."

"I'll deal with that when it comes up. Believe me, I know where to get better firearms than Kier's little pop gun."

"Oh dear...I wish you would not speak of owning a firearm."

"No choice, old buddy...Besides, I've been thinking about buying one to keep in my shop."

"In Kalm? Surely you jest."

"The world's a dangerous place." Andie said with a shrug. "I found that out today."

"I can not talk you out of it, I suppose."

"Nope." Andie confirmed.

"...Andrewella, if you are determined to confront Miss Kier, bear in mind that this is a very special day for--"

"Yeah, I know. Cloud and his little wifey, yada-yada-yada."

The hostile inflection in Andie's voice was not lost on Red's highly sensitive hearing...

"Yes, my friends." said Nanaki, brushing off Andie's tone.

"I won't make a scene, okay? I just want Kier out of my life...You know what's so effed up though?"

"Enlighten me."

Andie took a seat on the edge of the mattress and slipped her feet back into the white pumps.

"When I met Kier in Aeris' old house, and learned she was a Neo like me, I thought someone had answered my prayers. All my life...well, all my life as a free person at least, I thought I was alone. I mean, I love my family very much, but I never had someone who I could truly relate to."

"Go on."

"...I just thought that maybe Kier was that someone I could relate to. Heck, I even thought we could be like sisters. Guess I was the fool."

"You were not a fool, Andrewella. That you would want a relationship with someone who is like you is to be expected."

"Of course it is...What I didn't expect was for her to turn on me, but what can you do?"

"Not much I suppose."

"Not a damn thing...Let's get this over with." The flower merchant said, taking Krysten's firearm out of her bag.

She released the cylinder and dumped out the remaining five rounds. Andie had seen where the missing round ended up, and was thankful that she did not share the same fate as the giant rat.

"Very good, Andrewella."

"This gun's useless without those. That'll fix her."

"Yes...How do you want to do this? Shall I bring Kier to you, as to avoid the you-know-who's?"

"Yeah. It would be better that way."

"I shall retrieve her then."

_Okay. Ready or not, here she comes..._

--

"...Y'know, I think it's great that Vincent is putting himself out there, but, that woman is scary." Tifa whispered to her brand new husband as they slow danced on the floor of the ballroom (which no one knew existed until after the Meteor incident).

"Kier? She's not scary, Teef. Just slightly intimidating." Cloud joked with his brand new wife.

"I say she is scary. I'm gonna have to talk to Vincent about her tomorrow."

"He's a grown man, and you're not his mother."

"I know that, but his taste in the female kind leaves a lot to be desired."

"He's just been out of practice for a long time. Give the guy a break."

"I'm still going to talk to him." Tifa insisted.

"Why? If his taste in the ladies is so off, then who would you set him up with? Yuffie?"

"Yuffie? Why on Gaia would I set Vincent up with Yuffie?"

"Some people actually think they're compatible."

"Who?"

"You know...People."

"What kind of people think they would be compatible? Do they even know Vincent and Yuffie? Give me a break." Tifa said with a roll of her eyes.

The newlyweds continued dancing together. They were joined on the floor by Reno and Kier, who did not look at all happy that Vincent had allowed the Turk to take her.

"Come on, babe. Haven't you never danced before? You're too stiff. Just relax and follow me." Reno ordered.

"I'll follow you alright. Straight to hell." Krysten uttered under her breath.

"What'd you say?"

"Nothing."

_I swear, this was a terrible idea. What was I thinking? I'm not a wedding person, never have been. I'm so out of place...Everybody keeps staring at me, especially _this_ guy...He wouldn't be so bad off if he cared about his appearance a little more. He could have potential. Maybe he just needs a feminine touch. Not that he'll get it from _me_. I hope I never see him again once I'm done here...God, that silly sister of mine...Wait, did I just refer to her as my sister? She'd hate to hear that, after what I did to her. Why did I do that anyway? I guess I was trying to be cute. Too bad nobody gets my sense of humor..._

"Babe?"

"...What?" Kier replied, so immersed in thought that she didn't notice the music had stopped.

"Geez, if you didn't wanna dance you could've just said so. You didn't hafta make an ass outta me, you Ice Queen. " Reno vented, then abandoned his partner for the refreshments table.

Kier could have sworn she heard him mumble something that sounded like "prickly 'itch".

"Hey, _what_ did you call me--"

"Miss Kier?" Red called from behind.

"What?"

Before Kier could recover from Reno's mini-tirade, Red motioned with his head for Kier to follow him. She did, and was led to the corridor outside the ballroom, where no one could hear them.

"What is it you want with me?"

"I have information regarding the whereabouts of your missing property." Red said flat-out.

"My gun? You know where it is?"

"Yes."

"Tell me!"

"No."

"...What!? Why not!?"

"I will not tell you, that is unless you promise not to harm Andrewella."

"She's here, isn't she?"

"That matters not. You will not go anywhere near her if you do not promise to let her be."

Not unintentionally, Red bared his fangs and lowered his eyes just enough to inspire caution.

"...Yes, I promise. I won't bother her. I just want my property back."

"And you will leave her be for the duration?"

"Yes. She'll never see me again, you have my word."

"I will show no mercy if you try anything, Kier."

"I'm not stupid. Even with a gun I'd be in trouble against a beast...Look, I screwed up. I wanted to make a statement to Andrewella and it got out of hand." Kier explained, unaware of the pun she'd made. "I was never going to kill her."

"A likely story."

"I don't care if you don't believe me...I just want my property back. Then I'll go away forever."

"...Very well then."

"Just where are you going?"

Vincent emerged from the ballroom, curious as to where his escort was headed with Red.

"To get my property, absolutely no thanks to _you_." Kier chided her not-date.

"...Red, does this mean that Andie Chiefstone is present?"

"Yes, it does."

The darkness man stalled for half a second.

"...Let's go to her then."


	17. Reluctant travel companions,a bumpy ride

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7, and this is not done for anything other than entertainment purposes.

--

Chapter #18-"Reluctant travel companions, a bumpy ride"

_There's no stopping the train now. We'll be face-to-face shortly, ready or not...Am I nervous? A little, but, I'm more curious actually. Morbidly curious. I wonder, is she going to be angry? She certainly has every right to be._..

The distance between PAG-S-001-BETA and PAG-S-006-BETA grew smaller and smaller...

_...However this meeting goes, it ends here. I go my way, and she goes her's. I swear, I never want to see her again afterward._

Needless to say, Kier was as anxious as Andie about their fast-approaching reunion. But, neither of them were as anxious as Vincent, who would for the first time be meeting the young woman who could be his biological daughter. To his surprise, he considered turning back and forgetting about Andie, but his feet would not be persuaded to change course.

The time had arrived, as did the trio outside of Andie's cabin. Aware of their masked trepidation, Red afforded them a few moments to prepare.

"...Are you ready?" He asked them both.

"Whatever." Kier said in a tone that not even barely hid her nervousness.

"I am." Vincent coolly replied.

Andie, who had her back turned to the door, was startled by the sound of it opening, but did not flinch...

"Andrewella?" Red called to his friend.

_She's here...Okay, Andie. Just remember, nanaki's here. He won't let her do anything._

"Turn around already, you ass." Kier blurted out in an attempt to establish control of the situation.

"What?" Andie replied, indeed turning to face the other Neo-Cetra. "Who are you talking to?"

"You. Gimme my property already."

"That's no way to ask."

"I'm not asking. Give it, right now."

"Happily."

The flower lady tossed, almost threw Kier's gun at her. It was barely caught and reigned in by the braided one.

"Hey! Real smart, throwing a gun at me!"

"It's not even loaded, so chill out."

"What!? Who told you to empty the rounds out of it!?"

"Common sense."

"Give 'em to me!"

"Bitch, please. Not a chance."

"They're mine!"

"So?"

"You can't do that! Give them back!"

"Not on your life, Kryss." Andie taunted.

"Krysten!"

"Ladies, please." Red begged. "Kier, Andrewella was merely concerned for her own safety. She did not want a repeat of the previous incident."

"She was not intent on harming you, Andie." Vincent suddenly spoke out.

Bewildered and quite offended, Andie sized up Vincent and pointed with her index finger...

"Just who in Bahamut's name are you?"

"...I--"

"How _dare_ you speak up for her? What, is this clown your boyfriend, Kier?"

"You wish, Andie Queef-stone. This guy's not my old man...Oh, wait. He just might be." Krysten teased not only Andie, but Vincent as well.

"Kier, I wish you would not." Vincent sternly warned.

"Sorry. Not my news to tell."

Cautiously, Vincent made four steps toward Andie. She fixed him with an ice-cold glare, the same kind of glare that Aeris would fit on Cloud had he dared raise her formidable ire.

"Andie, let us not start off on the wrong foot. Please."

"Who said we were making any kind of start? You got some helluva nerve."

"...I apologize if I seem insensitive. However, you must know that Kier did not plan on killing you today."

"Because she's just that nice, right?" Andie mocked.

"No. Because she told me so...after I shot her."

"...So, you're the one who popped Spider-head?"

"I am."

"I see. I owe you one."

"You owe me nothing. My actions were not justified."

"Sure they were."

"No, they weren't. I believe Kier when she says she was not going to kill you."

"Why? You better have a good reason why you'd take her twisted word for it, Mister whoever-you-are."

"Valentine. Vincent Valentine is my name. If you need an explanation, I will give it to you. I owe you that much."

"Start talking then, Vincent Valentine."

"Yes, Vincent. I too am curious." Red let it be known.

"...Andie, what I am about to tell you will sound far fetched."

"Try me."

"...I know that you're a Neo-Cetra, and that Kier is one as well."

"That's pretty common knowledge by now, Saint Valentine. What's your point?"

"My point..."

Vincent explained his stance to Andie, the way he did for Kier earlier that day...

"By the stars...Your sperm and Ifalna's egg..." Red uttered just above a whisper.

"It's not a guarantee, Red. It is only a possibility, a distant possibility, but one that I can not ignore...I attempted to enlist the aid of an old Shin-Ra employee I worked with, hoping he could provide information. He proved useless."

"Hmph." Red grumbled.

"I'm afraid that I've reached an impasse. With no data available to me, the only way to see if I am your father is to compare DNA."

"So, what do you want from me?" Andie asked.

"Oh. Even a strand of your hair would suffice."

"No, Saint Valentine. I meant, what do you want from me?"

"...You ask in that sense."

"Yes. What do you want from me? And from Kier for that matter?

"He just wants to know if we're his kids, Andie."

"Since when were we on speaking terms again, Kier?"

"Since now. What's the matter? Don't you want to know who your father is?"

"I do. His name is Andrew Chiefstone, not Vincent Valentine or anything else."

"I assure you, Andie, I would not attempt to replace your dad."

"That's all well and good, but I'm not interested in playing along. Kier, you're more than welcome to donate your hair to this guy, if you can free a strand from those ridiculous braids of yours. As for me, I want to go home, get plastered, pass out, wake up, take a shower, and run my shop the next day with a bitchin' hangover."

"Then...you refuse?"

"Bingo. Your cookie's in the mail, Saint Valentine."

"...Very well. That is your right, Miss Chiefstone." Vincent said calmly, yet dejectedly.

Andie hastily rushed past Vincent and exited the cabin. Kier was hot on her trail, grabbing her by the arm in the corridor and harshly spinning her 'round.

"Don't touch me!" Andie barked.

"You bitch. Why did you have to make the guy feel like the biggest loser ever born? He just laid it all out to you, and you can only, ever so politely, say 'go fuck yourself''."

"Um, no. I save my go-fuck-yourselfs for you, Kier. So, go fuck yourself."

"Andie, look. You hate me and I seriously don't like you, but Vincent is innocent. I spent time with him, I listened to him. He's creepy, yes, but he's good people. Can't you cut the guy a break?"

Andie mock-gasped and retorted "Stop the press. Krysten Kier just grew a heart, everybody. It's eensy-weensy and black, but she grew a heart."

"You can say what you want about me. I just want you to see where Vincent's coming from. Andie, that Yuffie chick told me something about him. She said he has no family. No wife, no kids, nothing. Not a single blood tie to Gaia. That's why this is so important to him."

"..."

"Andie, just a freakin' strand of hair. That's all the man asks. I'll do it too."

"...Goddammit."

Though she huffed and grumbled about it, Andie turned around and re-entered the cabin, much to Vincent's hidden relief.

"You're back."

"...Vincent, I'm sorry I cut you down like that. Bad day."

"i understand."

"...I'll help you, alright? If there's a chance you have some family after all, then I guess it wouldn't hurt to find out and whatever."

"I don't know what to say. Thank you, Andie."

"It's nothing." said the Neo-Cetra, who caught a glance from Kier.

With her eyes, Krysten Kier looked as though she said "thank you". Andie returned a look that may have said "you're welcome".


	18. Day's last nitpick

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. This is done only for entertainment purposes, and I do not make a dime off it.

--

Chapter #19-"Day's last nitpick"

Outside the airship Highwind, the sun has begun to sink into the horizon, tinging the clouds with a tangerine glow and giving way to the bright stars of night. Yuffie Kisaragi is merrily seeing off the newlyweds, who are going away to their honeymoon destination of Costa Del Sol...

"Alright, you two. Have fun, but don't you dare bring me back any nieces or nephews."

"We can't make any promises, Yuff. You may just be an auntie by the time we get back." Tifa teased.

"And if not, it won't be for lack of trying." Cloud said, grabbing a nice helping of his wife's derriere.

"Eww. Go to Costa Del Sol now, before I hurl."

"Yes, ma'am."

Tifa and Yuffie embraced, then Yuffie hugged Cloud and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Now scram." the young Wutainese woman ordered.

"We'll bring you back a souvie." The new Mrs.Strife promised.

"Whatever, just as long as it doesn't drink from your boob and poo on itself."

"See you next week, Yuffie. Don't let the kids run you ragged."

"As if. Bye guys."

--

Yuffie couldn't help but smile from ear to ear as she sat on the edge of her bed later that night. She kicked off her white ballet style shoes and untied her hair, letting it fall down onto her shoulders. Then she lay back, content to remain in her dress for the moment. She was exhausted after the weeks of pre-wedding madness, but she was elated nonetheless. Cloud & Tifa were now Mr. & Mrs., the ceremony went off without a single hiccup, Cloud didn't vomit, and most of all...

Andie Chiefstone was a complete no-show. This, above all, was the biggest weight lifted from the young Wutainese woman's chest. All the what-ifs had been avoided. But somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she had not seen the last of Andie. She knew that Vincent knew she could be his daughter, and it would only be a matter of time before Andie made her big debut to the newlyweds.

As if that weren't enough, there was the other Neo-Cetra as well, Krysten Kier. Although she didn't sense danger around Kier, Yuffie did not care for the vibe that she gave off. It made her uneasy, and that is not an easy thing to do to Yuffie...

--

"...Hello, Elmyra?...Yes, it's me...I'm fine, I'm fine. Listen. I'm not coming home tonight...Because, something sort of came up and I need to stay the night...I can't really talk about it, Elmyra. I just wanted to check in with you. I didn't want you to be worried...Yes...Of course...I will...I'll try to be home sometime tomorrow...Okay...I love you too...Goodnight..."

"...Done?" Kier asked.

"Yes." Andie replied. "Thanks for letting me use it."

Kier just nodded as Andie placed a PHS in the palm of her hand. Andie went over to the door that lead to her room at a brand new inn in the Southeast area of Edge, a markedly nicer part of town.

"I'm turning in now. I'm a-whole-new-word-for-tired."

"I bet you are." Kier uttered, standing at the door adjacent to Andie's room.

"...Kier?"

"What?"

"Don't , like, come in my room and suffocate me in my sleep or anything."

"Didn't I tell you I have no intention on killing you? Besides, asphyxiation is too cruel, even for me."

Andie was caught off guard by a chuckle, but she quickly blew it off.

"...Don't oversleep, Kier."

"I never do. Later."

--

"You okay, Miss J?"

"I'm fine." Miss J grumbled.

Dressed in a blue night robe and blue slippers, Miss J walked with the aide of her cane to the sofa in the living area of her home. Her caramel-shaded hair was tied back, as usual, making her traumatized blue eyes stand out on her scar-laden face.

She did not consider herself anything opposite of ugly.

"I just couldn't sleep."

"Bad dream?"

"No, not tonight at least." Miss J told her roommate and only friend, Kellen Heidegger.

"Leg?"

"A little, yeah..."

"Want a painkiller?"

"No. It's not that bad."

"If you say so. You want some tea instead?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

"Be right with you."

Kellen stood up from his seat on the floor before the television and proceeded to their micro-sized kitchen.

It was nothing for Kellen to do those small things for Miss J., even if he grumbled and groaned sometimes. Ever since he found her in the hospital after the tragedy in Sector Seven, broken and barely clinging to life, Kellen had a soft spot for her. Although that soft spot was initially based on guilt, for it was the evil organization for which Kellen's estranged father worked that ordered Sector Seven to be destroyed.

As the months went by, Miss J's health returned to her, Kellen by her side every painful step of the way. Once she recovered enough to leave the hospital, he paid all of her bills and even opened his home to her, as she was left with nowhere to go. Ever since, she has been a constant in his life that he would not dare imagine being without. Lately, he has even been toying with the idea of asking her the big question...

Several moments later, Kellen returned with two piping hot mugs with teabag strings hanging over their respective rims.

"Thanks."

"No problem, Miss J. Didn't even have to boil the water. Heh heh."

"Would you please fix the water heater some time soon?"

"Sure, just as long as you let me do it in peace. No looking over my shoulder."

"I'll try."

"I can live with that."

Miss J took a long sip from her mug, seemingly impervious to the temperature of it's contents. She then sat the mug on a small but stylish coffee table, and propped her bad left leg on the vacant cushion between she and Kellen.

"Kellen, can we go into town tomorrow?" She asked out of blue.

"What? You wanna go out?" Kellen responded, halfway joking and halfway taken aback.

"I just needed a few things. I was going to ask you to go, but I figured I could use some fresh air."

"And some sunlight. You're as white as a moogle."

"Way to make a gal feel special. Am I really that pale?"

"Eh, don't sweat it, Miss J. You're still as beautiful as a desert rose."

"A prickly flower that grows in the sand every thousand years. Gee, thanks."

"It was all I could think of. Gimme a break. Anyway, you wanna go out tomorrow, you got it. We'll go wherever you want."

"I want to go to the Southeast shopping district then."

"Southeast...Say, isn't that where they just opened the new inn?"

"Yes."

"I thought so...Then I guess if you get tired, I'll have somewhere to bring you." Kellen observed as he sipped from his mug.

"Always thinking of me. That's why I love you."

"U-Uh...Yeah, well...I mean, uh...You know, it's what I do." Kellen stammered, cheeks gone a brand new shade of rose.

--

Much later that night, when most of the people in that time zone were asleep, Tifa lay awake beside her husband in their suite at the Costa Inn. He'd drifted off to sleep, arm draped over Tifa's midriff as if to make certain she would not leave him.

After the exhilaration of consummating their marriage had worn off, Tifa was left with a nagging reality that had set up shop in the back of her mind. She couldn't shake it, even with Cloud now safely inside of wedlock.

Andie Chiefstone continued to plague her thoughts.

Tifa gently removed Cloud's arm and placed it over his pillow. She sat up and swung her bare feet out of bed and touched them to the floor, heaving a silent, but frustrated sigh.

"...Dammit. This is insane. Why is she still in my head? Why does she still matter? I have Cloud. He's mine. Why can't I stop being paranoid over that woman?"

"...Paranoid over what woman?" Cloud mumbled, sitting up to meet his wife's reddish-brown eyes.


	19. No uncertain terms

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I only do this for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from it.

--

Chapter #20-"No uncertain terms"

_Oh my God...He heard me._

"Teef, what woman are you talking about?" Cloud asked again, this time more awake and alert.

"Um..."

_Crap...What do I do? Tell him the truth, or start our marriage off with a lie?_

"Tifa? You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. Look...Cloud, about what I was saying..."

_If you're going to spend the rest of your life with the boy, you should be honest with him on all levels. At least that's what they say in couples' therapy..._

"What about it?"

"I'm getting there, don't rush me!" Tifa snapped.

"Sorry." Cloud shrank back.

"...Cloud, we've seen a lot of pretty crazy things over the years, haven't we?"

"I'll say."

"Of course. Well, I just found out something really crazy. Insane would be a better word for it. You see, there's this woman out there who...There's a girl who looks like Aeris, except she's not really Aeris, and she's not dead or a figment of my imagination and stuff. There." Tifa blurted out all at once.

"Oh...An Aeris look-alike."

"Apparently, yeah." Tifa sighed, completely unprepared for what would happen next.

"...You mean Andie Chiefstone, right?"

Tifa's eyes turned into big, reddish-brown saucers. Her body went as cold as if she'd been kissed by Shiva, with her bottom jaw resting right in her lap.

"You knew?" the wife could barely squeak out beyond a whisper.

"...Guess you're not the only one with secrets." Cloud admitted.

"You...frickin'..._knew_?"

"Yeah...I, uh, didn't mention it because I couldn't believe it myself."

"You damn-it-to-hell knew...How?"

"I was making a delivery to Kalm a few months ago. That's where I saw her...Of course, I thought the obvious. I wanted to jump her when I laid eyes on her..."

_Gee, there's a comforting thought._

"...But, I knew better. I played it cool instead. I sorta tailed her and picked up information about her from hearsay."

"You mean you spied on her?" Tifa put it bluntly.

"Yeah, you could say that. Anyway, I learned her name, and I observed that she is friends with Elmyra. I guess it's obvious why."

"Then what? Did you confront her?" Tifa asked, still incredulous of Cloud's prior knowledge of Andie.

"God knows I wanted to, but no...I learned quickly enough that she wasn't Aeris, and if I had confronted her, she just would have been confused. I probably would have scared her too. I didn't want that, so I turned tail and came home as fast as Fenrir would take me."

"And never said a word to us about it."

"What good would it have done, Tifa?"

"...Well, it would have saved me a lot of paranoia for starters."

"Wait a minute. Don't tell me you really were worried about Andie Chiefstone just because she...y'know."

"Yes, I was."

"Tifa, come on." Cloud chuckled.

"It's not funny." the (literally) blushing bride angrily mumbled.

"Ha ha ha...Sorry, but it makes sense now."

"What does?"

"How you were acting all day since this morning."

"Huh? How was I acting, Strife?"

"Like evil forces were conspiring to ruin our wedding. You kept looking over your shoulder, so to speak."

"I really don't think I was that obvious." Tifa curtly defended herself.

"Nah. I just know you, or at least I thought I did."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"The Tifa I know wouldn't be so insecure."

"...Extremely unusual circumstances."

"Is that your defense?"

"Yup."

"Okay. I'll buy that."

"Not like you have a choice...God, I'm so glad that's finally off my chest. I just wish I would have been honest earlier. I could have saved people a lot of stress. Me, Yuffie, the kids...Oh, my God. I owe the kids a big time apology."

"Why?"

"Because, they were the ones who found Andie in the old church yesterday..."

Tifa quickly told Cloud of the morning ghost hunt, him hanging on to every detail...

"...Ha. Those two kids are classic."

"...I totally called them liars, Cloud, even when I knew they weren't lying. I have to make it up to them when we get home, first thing."

"You'll think of something." Cloud assured. "But forget about them. Forget about them, and Andie Chiefstone, and everything else."

"I'll try, but you know how I am."

"Oh, I'll make you forget one way or another." said the husband as he seized the arm of his woman and pulled her back into bed.

"Oh, my...Forget about what?"

--

The beams of morning sunlight poured into the room occupied by Krysten Kier. The night passed by, but there was no sleep to be had by the young woman with flaxen braids. She simply had too much on her mind to even entertain the notion of slumber.

There was the impending test to determine if the man she'd met only yesterday, Vincent Valentine, was her biological father. Then there was the even bigger issue of, "what if he were?". Would he want to have some kind of relationship with her? Would he want to be "Superdad" and make up for lost time, so to speak? Kier wasn't sure if she would be comfortable with having someone she didn't know feeling entitled to a place in her life, and a major place at that.

It wasn't even as if Kier needed a father figure. She had an adoptive dad, and an adoptive mom, just like Andie. Krysten loved her family despite her avoiding of them. She did not need a new family consisting of Vincent and Andie, but at the same time, Krysten could not flat out say she didn't want them either.

Which led to another issue. Andie would not want Krysten, this much was certain. She blew it when she played stick-'em-up with Andie in Sector Five. No way would Andie want her as family after that, plus their heated words on board the Highwind. Try as she may to not let that bother her, it did bother her...

Kier lay vertically on her side in the bed, facing away from the sun-beaten window. Beside her, on a pillow, was her empty gun. She held out an index finger and traced it from the barrel to the hammer.

"...That Andie. She got her filthy prints all over you." Kier spoke softly to her prized firearm. "That's okay. I was gonna clean and polish you anyway, soon as we're done..."

_Done...There's not telling when that will be. Even with all this Neo-Cetra falderal, I'm still looking for the true Holy materia...Maybe, if Vincent were my father, I'd have access to his friend's airship. That would make my life a whole lot easier...Whatever the results of the DNA, I have to find that rock. I should hope that it hasn't fallen into the wrong hands already... _

A knock at the door stirred Krysten from her thoughts.

"It's open." Krysten called out just loud enough to be heard.

"...You're up." Andie spoke from the frame of the opened door.

"Andie."

Kier sat upright and folded her legs beneath her. Andie warily entered the room, stopping just a few feet from the bed.

"What is it?" Kier asked in a more welcoming tone than Andie expected.

"I wanted to give you something." Andie stated, extending her left arm and showing off a handful of magnum rounds.

"My ammo? You're giving it back?" Kier asked, puzzled at Andie's change of heart.

"Yeah. Here."

The flower merchant dumped the bullets on the bed and dusted off her hands, perhaps metaphorically. Krysten looked down at the rounds, and then at Andie.

"Thanks..."

"Whatever. Vincent's going to be here in two hours, just to remind you."

"I remember."

"I'm going for breakfast." Andie said in a nonchalant manner, consciously denying Kier any hint of an invite.

"Okay..."

As quickly as she came, Andie left. She hadn't made a wisecrack, and barely acknowledged Kier's gratitude. Andie had swiftly and effectively let Kier know where she stood, and that was as far away from her as possible.

--

"Hey, would you wait up already!?" Yuffie yelled.

It proved futile, as Marlene and Denzel continued to run ahead of her through the sparsely populated streets of Edge.

Left in charge of the kids, Yuffie decided to make her life easier and take them out for breakfast. Of course, they absolutely had to eat at the new "Lago" restaurant in the swanky Southeast side. Luckily, Yuffie had wanted to try it out anyway, and was left with a considerable babysitting fund to finance such things for the next week.

Approximately thirty seconds behind,Yuffie finally caught up with the kids at the Lago, and was not thrilled to see the sizable crowd inside.

_It looks like the whole town is in there...But, it's either wait or make breakfast myself, and _that_ ain't happenin'._

Yuffie took her place in the long line outside and let the kids play about a few feet away. Expecting a lengthy wait, she was glad she'd worn her pink flip-flops to go with a red button-down shirt (cut to expose much midriff) and cutoff blue jean shorts.

Slowly, the line snaked forward, one party at a time. After about half an hour, Yuffie had only two parties ahead of her, and it looked like the next one was about to be ushered along. She was right, and as the next party was led away to their table, Yuffie saw an exiting patron coming.

"What the...?"

_What the hell is _she_ doing here?_


	20. The test

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from it.

--

Chapter #21-"The test"

Yuffie's heart skipped two beats as her eyes met the emerald Mako irises of Andie. The Neo-Cetra, who'd just dined at Lago, was leaving as Yuffie was coming.

"Hey, there's Aeris again!" Marlene excitedly whispered to her cohort Denzel as Andie came up to their party.

"Hey." Andie greeted flatly, not really in the mood for small talk.

"H-Hey.What are you doing here?" Yuffie asked.

"Busting up weddings, what do you think?"

"Wha..."

Whatever signs of the nice flower girl Yuffie had met yesterday were gone. This Andie that stood before Yuffie was obviously annoyed by something, and looked very weary as well.

"I'm just kidding, Yuffie. Lighten up."

Andie tried to leave, but was held up when Yuffie grabbed her arm.

"Wait, please."

"Let go of me. I got somewhere I have to be."

"Wait a second. You look like hell, and something's got you pissed. What's wrong?"

Realizing that she was perhaps being mean to Yuffie for no reason, Andie composed herself and apologized. She then left the restaurant, and as much as she was dying to go after her, Yuffie couldn't.

"Miss? Number in your party?" the hostess asked Yuffie once again.

"Oh. Sorry about that. Um, three. One adult, two kids. Non-smoking." Yuffie replied, watching Andie walk hastily toward whatever affair had called her from Kalm.

"I told you she'd come back." Denzel gloated to Marlene.

"Where's she going now? Doesn't she know Cloud's not home?" the young Miss Wallace inquired.

"You guys, be quiet." the babysitter ordered as they were led to their table.

Their seats were at a part of the building where, out of another window, Andie could still be seen walking.

"It doesn't matter, Marlene. She's back for good now, so she'll catch up with Cloud."

"Yeah."

"Guys, stop it. That's not Aeris." Yuffie snapped.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Yes it is. She came back." Marlene insisted. "We saw her yesterday too."

"No, children...Listen, it's too complicated for you guys, but I can assure you that that woman isn't Aeris."

"Not Aeris?"

"No, Marlene. Not Aeris."

"Well, who is she?"

"Denzel...That woman is actually Aeris' sister."

The kids exchanged a puzzled stare, then turned to their caretaker.

"Nobody ever said Aeris had a sister." Denzel recalled.

"Well, nobody ever knew before yesterday. I don't blame you guys, though. I thought she was Aeris too, and I almost fainted."

"What's her name?" Marlene asked.

"Her name's Andie."

"Yuck. That's a boy's name." The little girl disapprovingly noted.

"It can be a girl's name too. Besides, I happen to think it's cute."

Marlene stuck out her tongue and scrunched her face. After a few moments, a waitress made her way to the table to collect orders; a cheese omelet for Yuffie, strawberry pancakes for Marlene, and blueberry waffles for Denzel.

"...Yuffie, what's complicated about Andie?" The hungry boy asked.

"Huh?"

"You said it was too complicated for us. Why?" Marlene followed.

"What's so complicated about Aeris having a sister?"

"Yeah. We understand just fine."

"Um...Its more to it than that. You guys wouldn't get it. I'm not sure I get it." Yuffie reasoned, wishing to Leviathan that they would just let it go.

"Is Andie a bastard?" Marlene innocently asked, making Yuffie almost choke on her own saliva!

"Ack...Marlene Wallace! Where did you learn that word!?"

"I may be a kid, but I know stuff, Yuffie. So, is Andie a bas--"

"Stop! Don't say that word again!"

"Okay, but is she?"

"No! I mean, I don't know...Um, I guess."

Once she actually thought about it, Yuffie realized that Andie could indeed be considered illegitimate. She only wished Marlene hadn't introduced the term 'bastard'.

"Who's her daddy then?" Marlene pressed on, undaunted.

"...Well, Marlene, the truth is, she doesn't know her real father...But, she does have a daddy who loves her very much. She's kinda like you, kiddo."

Marlene's eyes lit up at Yuffie's simple reasoning. Yuffie was quite pleased with herself, as there would be no more questions out of the young woman.

"Me too, right?"

"Of course, Denzel. You know Cloud and Tifa are crazy about you...See? Let this be a lesson, kids. Family's not about bloodlines, it's about love and all that warm fuzzy stuff."

"So, does that make you the pain-in-the-butt big sister?" Denzel cleverly sniped.

"...I will pretend I was too lost in the moment to have heard that."

The three of them laughed out loud as their food was forthcoming.

--

"...God, you're a wuss." Kier grumbled at Andie, who was rubbing the spot on her arm which they stuck the blood-sucking needle.

"Fuck off...I could've sworn they didn't draw blood for paternity tests anymore."

"My apologies, Andie." Vincent offered. "But it was the only way to do this without fear of error."

Sitting in the waiting room of a fertility clinic in the northern portion of the Southeast side, the potential father and daughters were all anxious to varying degrees about the results of the DNA tests taken. Without question Vincent was the most anxious, though he would not let it be seen.

"How long do these things take?" Andie asked, clearly unwilling to spend any more time around Kier that need be.

"With today's medical advances, it will be only two hours." Vincent promised.

"That what the lab tech said, doofus."

"Get bent, Kryss."

"Krysten."

"Chill out, spider-head. Don't be such a brat around our potential father. He might ground you."

"Hmph. He should spank you."

"You'd pay to see that wouldn't you?"

"You'd pay to have it done."

"Ladies, please." Vincent begged.

The two sisters retreated to their corners, so to speak, and said nothing to one another for the duration. Vincent was evidently stressed, given the animosity between two women who could be his offspring.

As marked by the change in programming on the TV in the waiting room, two hours had passed since the blood was taken. Sure enough, the same lab technician returned, bearing a manila portfolio and the fates of Vincent, Krysten, and Andie...

"Hello again." the lab tech sang.

"Are those the results?" Kier asked, rising from her seat and nervously adjusting her white jacket.

"Yup. Mister Valentine."

Vincent was given the portfolio, and the two Neo-Cetra flanked him closely.

"...Are you ready?" he asked, actually nowhere near ready himself.

"Let's get it over with."

"Open it up."

"Very well."

Even the lab tech, who already knew the results, was jittery as Vincent unfolded the manila folder.

"...Hmm..." Vincent grumbled as he studied the document held within, fast comprehending the language of it's information.

"So?" Andie could barely choke out.

"...Andie, Krysten..."

The dark haired man took time to look each girl in the eye, and sighed.

"Oh, give me that!" Kier snarled, snatching the document and then looking it over herself.

"Kryss? What's it say?" Andie softly prodded.

"...Well, I'll be damned..."

Krysten handed the paper to Andie to examine herself.

"...Oh, my God."

"...Vincent, we're sorry." Kier offered.

"Yeah." Andie seconded.

"Hmm..."

He said nothing, only turning away from the two women.

"There is no need for you to apologize."

"Yes, there is." Kier insisted.

"We're sorry...You seem like a really nice guy, and you don't deserve it."

"Please, ladies..."

"You don't have to call us that...Listen, the way me and Andie carried on in front of you was wrong."

"Yeah...Now that we're your kids, we won't do it again."


	21. A chance to make good

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes, and do not make a dime from it.

--

Chapter #22-"A chance to make good"

One week has passed since the eventful day of Cloud and Tifa's wedding.

Krysten Kier and Andie Chiefstone have learned the identity of their biological father, he being none other than Vincent Valentine. This has, obviously, made a profound impact on all three parties, but none more than Vincent himself. Having been essentially alone in the world with no one to carry on his legacy, Vincent has been given not one, but two carriers of his bloodline. Inside of them were, potentially, children of their own to carry his bloodline into the future as well. This was a great blessing indeed for the man who did not believe himself worthy of such.

But, what to do with this great blessing? There were no detailed instructions for offspring, and even if there were, Vincent Valentine would still have no earthly idea what to do. He in fact had no idea where to even begin. Besides Barret, he did not even know anyone with children, and Marlene was still just that; A child. Andie and Krysten were grown women, with established personalities, ideals, and values. They were both smart, independent, and in no need for a surrogate dad. So, where would Vincent fit into their lives?

This is the dilemma that had taken a back seat in his mind, after the issue of "if" they were his kids. With the "if" issue gone, the "fitting in" issue seemed to be quite broader in scope than he'd anticipated. This was not merely fitting in and coexisting with a rag-tag group of terrorists-cum-heroes. No, this time it was much more personal. It was family. His family. But, no idea how to or not, he was responsible for finding his place among his daughters. Fortunately, his daughters would be more than willing to guide him along, even in spite of their own animosity...

It was late in the morning on the day that the newlyweds were scheduled to come home from their honeymoon. Krysten had volunteered to stay in Egde for a few days so that she and Vincent, or "Pops" as she dubbed him, could get to know one another. Andie had to return to Kalm to tend her flower shop. However, she promised to return today to meet the rest of Vincent's friends, including Mr. & Mrs. Strife.

Having taken it upon herself to make sure her father was eating properly, the braided one made a special trip from her temporary home at the inn to a rather decent delicatessen around the corner from his apartment. With her order already in mind, Krysten took a number from the ticket dispenser at the counter and took a seat in the dining/waiting area.

The deli was fairly busy for lunch, but even amongst the crowd Krysten spotted someone she remembered all too well, and not very fondly. The person spotted her as well, and, much to Krysten's chagrin, went to her table and sat as if invited.

"Yo." Reno greeted, actually sober before noon on this day.

"Hello." Krysten replied with as much ice in her tone as she could muster.

"Brr. Still cold in there, eh?."

"Eww. Go get stranded somewhere."

"'Ey, no need to be cruel yo. Y'know, I was actually hopin' I'd see you again."

"Can't say the same here."

"I'm for real, babe. I wanted to see you again, to say I'm sorry an' stuff."

"I know you're sorry." Krysten sniped.

"Ouch. You got your masters in player hatin', or just the bachelors?"

"Ph.D., actually."

"Figures...Look, I'm serious. I wanna say I'm sorry. I was a jerk to you at the wedding. I didn't have the right to go off on you like I did."

"...You're serious?"

"Yeah, dead serious...You wanna, like, take me back yo?" Reno pleaded, twiddling his thumbs in a goofy manner.

"Take you back? Excuse me, but we weren't even dating. It was just one dance."

"Really? Guess I use that line outta habit."

"Ugh. Go _away_, you creepy little Tonberry."

"Okay, okay. Serious here. Serious...I'm sorry, Katherine."

"My name's Krysten." Ms. Kier said with a roll of her eyes.

"Sorry...Look, can we just make like we never met?"

"Oh, _God_ yes."

"You didn't let me finish. I meant, can we start over? Can I, y'know, ask you out?"

"You can ask me out. I can't stop you."

"For real? You're on the level?"

"Sure. You can physically ask me to go out with you, if you like. Of course, I'll say 'hell no', but go ahead and humor yourself."

"...Nah, I'm chill on that. I know when buzz off means buzz off. You won't ever have old Reno to bother you again, Krysten. Have a good one yo."

"Bye..."

Krysten watched as Reno walked out of the deli, and noticed that he looked genuinely dejected.

_What a toad...Although he is cute, in a pitiable kind of way._

Meanwhile, the redheaded Turk walked alone on the sidewalk, eventually coming upon the front door of a bar called "Eastwind". His first instinct was to walk right through the entrance and belly up to a quick escape from his humiliation at Krysten's hands, but, something unusual (for Reno) happened. He refused the instinct, and briskly walked away from the easy way out.

_Yeah, I wanna drink, but...Krysten's never gonna take me serious if I don't start makin' some changes._

Across the street, there was a barber shop. Reno stared at the building for a while, but decided that not even Krysten was worth forsaking his hair.

"Nah, can't do that for ya, babe...Doesn't mean I can't get it done up though." he conceded, going instead to the unisex salon next door...

--

"...Sigh." Tifa said, actually verbalizing the word 'sigh'. "Home again, home again."

Fresh off the Highwind, Cloud & Tifa managed to get into her apartment unnoticed. Their honeymoon was over, and there were bags to be unpacked. Tifa set about the menial task, hoisting the luggage onto her bed with a small grunt.

"Good thing Yuffie has the kids busy. Gives us a couple hours alone."

"We just had a whole week alone, Cloud."

"So?"

Cloud wrapped his arms around his wife from behind and snogged her neck, not being mindful of the necklace she was wearing.

"Stop that. You're slobbering all over my necklace." Tifa protested in giggles.

"Again, so?"

"I don't want it to get all spity, fool."

"Alright, alright. My bad. Here."

"Hey, don't take it off!"

"Whoa. No need to bite my head off."

"...I didn't mean to be so jumpy."

"It's okay. I get that you really like the necklace. I'm glad I got it for you."

"And may I thank you once again?"

"Yeah, it'll only make one-hundred-sixty-four times."

"That all? Well, thanks again."

Tifa held the thin golden rope between her fingers and thumb, proudly admiring the beautiful pale green, almost white materia that hung from the center. It was a very rare stone, according to the man who sold it to her in Costa Del Sol. With him saying that it would bring the newlyweds great fortune, the young bride knew she had to have it. Cloud was only happy to oblige.

"...Teef?"

"...Hmm?"

She'd become mesmerized by the beautiful stone, and only with a snap of his fingers to her face was Cloud able to bring her out of it.

"Tifa, you with me?"

"...Oh. Yeah, sorry."

Still fidgeting with the materia, Tifa sighed...

Half an hour later, there were two piles of dirty laundry on the bedroom floor. One was Tifa's, and the other one was Cloud's.

"I'll take that to the laundromat tomorrow." Tifa volunteered.

"No hurry. It's just our vacation clothes."

"I know, but they don't have to be dirty."

"True."

No sooner did Tifa plop down on the mattress, the sound of the apartment's main door closing snapped her to attention.

"...Yuffie's back."

Sure enough, the young ninja/babysitter bounded into the bedroom, her expression full of surprise and joy at seeing her two friends home.

"You two suck! How dare you not tell anyone you were back?"

"Heh heh. We were trying to steal a few more moments of alone time." Tifa confessed, a hint of tiredness in her voice.

"Eww. T.M.I., Tifa...Say, are you okay? You look sleepy? Don't tell me you kept her _that_ busy, Cloud."

"Wasn't _me_...I dunno, Teef. You do look kind of pooped."

"Aren't _you_?" she said, now suddenly defensive.

"Me? Not really."

"Tch. I'm fine...Where are the kids anyway?"

"I sold them to gypsies Wednesday. I ran outta money and couldn't take care of 'em anymore."

"Hardy-har-har. Now, where are they really?"

"At the arcade. I came by hoping to get the place spruced up for you guys before you got back, but you beat me here."

"Oh, that was sweet. You didn't have to."

"I know, but I guess I'm still in 'bridesmaid' mode, doing stuff for you...Tifa? You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah...Why?"

"Your eyes..."

"What about...my eyes?"

"Teef..." Cloud began, but stopped out of disbelief from what he saw in his wife's cognac colored irises.

"Your eyes are kind of...glowy." Yuffie said, doing a fine job of not freaking out.


	22. Prideful mistakes

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #23-"Prideful mistakes"

"Glowy?"

"Just a little, but you can tell."

"Oh, look who's talking, Cloud. Your eyes glow too. So do yours, Kisaragi. All of our eyes adopted a glow back then from heavy materia usage, remember?"

Tifa's statement was indeed fact, but the glow they'd all gained then was far duller than the glow Tifa's eyes emitted this day. It was definitely noticeable, although not striking like Cloud's.

"Yeah, of course we remember...Ah, never mind. If you say you're okay, then you're okay."

"Thank you, Yuffie."

"No problem...Changing the subject, how went the honeymoon? Well, the parts I _want_ to hear about."

"It was great." Tifa said, having felt her second wind arrive. "We managed to have a ball, when we weren't busy at the inn."

"Gawd, would you _stop_ with the bedroom references? I get it was your honeymoon, but give a chick a break."

"Prude." Tifa ribbed.

"I am not a prude. I'm just not a freak like you."

"I resemble that remark. Freaks keep the planet populated y'know."

"...That reminds me. Could I borrow your wife for a second, Cloud?"

"Uh, sure."

"C'mere."

Yuffie pulled Tifa from her seat and led her by the hand to the bathroom across from the bedroom. She shut the door to prevent Cloud from hearing what she had to say.

"What's up, Yuff?"

"Oh-em-gee, Tifa. Guess who's a daddy. Go on."

"...Who?"

"Vincent."

"Whaaaammmfff." Tifa shrieked, but was muffled by Yuffie's hand.

"Shhhhh! Keep it down!" Yuffie hissed.

"Srrrmmyyyfff."

"Okay. I'll explain. You remember that woman Vincent brought to the wedding? Krysten Kier?"

"Yeah."

"Turns out, she's his daughter."

"...You're bullshitting."

"Nope. Oh, and it gets better. Our gal Andie is her sister, and _she's_ Vinnie's daughter too."

If Yuffie didn't already know it was impossible, she'd have thought Tifa's eyes were going to pop right out of the sockets.

"You...have _got_ to be kidding."

"On my life, it's true. Blood test and all. It's all real."

"Daaayuuuum."

"Huh?"

"Isn't that what the cool kids say these days?"

"...Anyway, _damn_ is right. Mister Moody is a proud papa. Next you'll tell me the sky is falling."

"It did, sorta. Meteor?"

"Yeah, I was there. Anyway, now Krysten won't leave town, and Andie's coming back today. She wants to meet you, and Cloud."

"...Well, that's cool."

"It is?"

"Me and Cloud talked about her in Costa. Turns out, he already knew about her."

"What? He knew about her? And he didn't say so?"

"He said there was no reason to bring it up."

"You don't say...Not like it matters now, though. It's all water...under...Say, where'd you get that necklace?"

"This old thing? My man bought it for me."" Tifa bragged.

"It's gorgeous. Is that a materia?"

"Yup."

"Does it do anything?"

"No, but it's lucky."

"Lucky? I sure could use a lucky charm. Can I try it on?"

"No!" Tifa barked without warning, causing Yuffie to take a step back on her heel.

Tifa's expression suddenly became aggressive as she clutched her necklace tightly, showing that she was not joking about the matter.

"...Uh...O-Okay. I-I'll get my own lucky charm. Whatever." Yuffie peeped, very much frightened by her friend's sudden hostile mood swing.

"That's your best bet."

The close confines of the bathroom did not feel very safe anymore to Yuffie, so she bashfully cracked the door open just enough and slinked out, leaving Tifa alone. After a few moments, Tifa turned to the mirror above the sink and held the necklace before her, admiring the beautiful pale green orb dangling from the center. A bizarre grin spread across her face, and quietly she let out an eerie, unwarranted giggle...

"Yuffie, what the heck was that?" Cloud asked just outside the bathroom door, having heard his wife's outburst.

"That? Oh, th-that was just Tifa."

"I _know_ it was Tifa. Why did she just shout 'no' like that?"

"Um...It was nothing, really. It's cool, don't worry about it."

Unconvinced, Cloud opened the bathroom door to find Tifa still grinning at her own reflection.

"Hey, you? What's with all the yelling?"

"Hmm?" Tifa responded, turning to face him as though nothing happened.

"Why were you yelling just now? Did Yuffie upset you? I'll beat her up for you if you want." Cloud jested.

"Hey!" Yuffie protested.

"Down boy. No need for violence. I'm sorry if I startled you, and I'm sorry for biting at you like that, Yuffie. I don't know what came over me. I just got really mad for some reason when you asked to..."

"But why? It's just a necklace. I mean, we trade clothes and stuff all the time."

"I know. I'm so sorry, but...I really don't know what came over me. It was so sudden...This rush of fury just took over...I'm sorry. Please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad...I've gotten used to you treating me like a second-class citizen."

"Yuffie, don't say--"

"I gotta go get the kids." Yuffie said, on the brink of tears as she hastily left the apartment.

"Yuffie, wait!"

--

On her way to Vincent's apartment, Krysten is almost run over by a weeping blur of pink that shot from the business door of Seventh Heaven.

"Hey! Watch the damn sidewalk!" Ms. Kier scolded, almost having dropped the food she brought from the deli.

"I'm sorry." Yuffie sobbed.

"Yuffie? What's the matter?"

"I am so done with her! She thinks she can treat me any kind of way and I'm supposed to just take it, and take it, and take it!"

"Hey, calm down a second will you? Get a hold of yourself. I can barely understand you with all that crying."

"Sorry..."

"Let's have a seat."

"'Kay."

Krysten guided Yuffie to a bench a few feet away from Tifa's bar and sat with her. She let Yuffie get the last of her sobs out before asking what was wrong.

"Tifa is what's wrong."

"What did she do to you?"

"She just treats me like a chump, Kier, and I'm sick of it."

"Oh...She's one of those friends who think they're better than you."

"Not that she thinks she's better than me. It's just that...Tifa does and says things without thinking sometimes, and she can be hurtful, but she doesn't seem to notice."

"Unless you fly out of her apartment in tears."

"Yes. Exactly."

"I know that type all too well, Yuffie."

"...Andie?"

"No, not Andie. Andie definitely notices when she's being hurtful."

"...If I didn't know any better, it sounds like you don't like it when she's cold toward you."

"Doesn't matter if I like it or not. I deserve it. I made a boneheaded call, and I have to live with it."

"I know what you did to her...Didn't you ever apologize?"

"...Um, not really..." Krysten shamefully confessed.

"You never apologized to her?"

"I _want_ to, but..."

"But what? Oh, you're one of _those_ people. Too proud to apologize, no matter how ass-backward wrong they are."

"Now, where did I hear that before?"

"I don't know, but it looks like it's an accurate assumption."

"...I won't say you're wrong."

"What's so hard about a simple apology?"

"It's just never been something I'm good at."

"What a load. You just open your mouth and do it. It's so easy even a stupid Turk could do it, not that they would."

Why Krysten winced at that particular remark was lost on Yuffie.

"Y-Yeah, I guess...Are you going to be okay?"

"I''m fine now. Thanks for listening to me whine, Kier."

"It's nothing. My friends call me Krysten, by the way."

"Thanks, Krysten. I better go find those kids."

"Heh...I think I should go find someone myself. I owe them an apology."

"Andie's back?"

"No...I owe someone else an apology too."


	23. The new do

Greener on the other side

by NihlisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from it.

--

Chapter #24-"The new do"

At first, he was taken aback when he finally got to look in the big salon mirror after the stylist had deemed him finished. Before him was the reflection of a man with long, clean, neatly trimmed red hair that was tied into a tidy and shiny ponytail. He barely recognized himself...

"Oh...my...God! Sir, you look absolutely fabulous! I cannot believe that I am responsible for such an act of fabulosity!"

"Uh...It's okay I guess."

"Okay!? No, no ,no! There is no 'okay' in my salon, Mister Turk! Only fabulous! You take that back! Take it back this instant!"  
"Alright, I take it back yo. Damn pushy broad..."

"What did you say?"

"I said you do good work, ma'am. Here ya go. You earned it."

"Ahhh. The Mister is much too generous. I cannot accept such a sizable gratuity."

"Fine by me."

"I _will_ make an exception, but just this once."

Jodie Lynne, a rather eccentric blond hair stylist from Junon, graciously accepted a rather nice tip from the newly styled Turk, Reno.

"I am certain the ladies will not be able to resist you, Mister Turk."

"That's the idea, sorta. See ya around."

"Take care, Mister Turk. Please do remember me for all of your haircare needs."

"You got it, toots."

Satisfied with his new 'do, Reno confidently strolled out of the salon, and immediately drew the attention of several females along the streets, one of whom was not shy about whistling in his direction. He returned the wolf whistle with a pointed inex finger and smirked.

_Oh, yeah. I got it goin' on now...No, not quite yet. This suit's kinda dead, ain't it? Time to get a new one, ol' boy...But damn. I've been wearing this suit for so long that I forgot my size. Guess I gotta get re-measured too. Good thing I showered this morning._

Reno remembered a clothier that was on the way to Tifa's bar. He turned his stride in that direction, but did not make it far before his personal PHS went off...

"Yo." Reno answered, assuming it was only Rude or Elena, wanting to know his whereabouts.

_"Reno? Is that you?"_

"...Krysten? The hell?"

_"Well, I'll be. This _is_ your number."_

"Always has been...How'd _you_ get it?"

_"A friend of mine told me. Look, Reno, I'll be to the point. I owe you an apology. I was very rude toward you earlier when you yourself were just trying to apologize. I'm sorry."_

"You don't say." Reno snorted.

Though Reno was determined to impress the braided one, he was understandably a bit sore with her for humiliating him in public.

_"Do you accept?"_

"...You accept mine?"

_"Yes, I do."_

"Then I accept yours. No hard feelings."

_"Thank you."_

"...Say, Krysten?"

_"Yes?"_

"What say I get real nice lookin' and we go do somethin'?" the redhead asked, figuring there was no time like the present to get the ball rolling.

_"...You mean like a date? Are you asking me out?"_

"Yeah. I meant what I said about starting over and all. I just wanna show you I'm not so bad when I get half a chance."

_"I don't know." _Krysten hemmed, elongating every word of the statement as if to torment Reno.

"Will you just think about it then? No pressure. Just give it a thought, okay?"

_"Hmm...Reno, would you promise to be on your absolute best behavior?"_

"For sure, babe."

_"Strike one. I'm not your babe."_

"Crap...For sure, _Krysten_."

_"Better...Ah, what the hell. I suppose going out with you couldn't hurt. Since you're so forward about this, I'll give you a chance." _Krysten responded.

"Sweet. When and where do I scoop you up?"

_"You can pick me up from the inn on the Southeast side at seven...No, make it six. Andie's coming back to town, and I'm not really in the mood for sisterly bonding."_

"Early date, early bedtime, total sisterly avoidance."

_"My God, you're quick. You get it."_

"Of course. I'm not _that_ stupid y'know. Six it is then."

_"I'll be ready."_

"Can't wait...Krysten?"

_"Yes?"_

"I'm gonna make good on my word, yo. I'm not such a a bad guy, nevermind all the Shin-Ra stuff."

_"And I suppose I could show you I'm not such an ice queen...See you later."_

"Later."

As calmly as he pleased, Reno turned his phone off, put it back into his pocket, and pumped his fist in the air as he proceeded to the clothier.

--

Although Tifa did not plan on opening her tavern today, she found herself behind the bar anyway, going about the menial task of polishing beverage glasses that were already clean. This is where she was found by her husband, who himself had been busy listening to the numerous messages left for his delivery service during their time away from Edge.

"You're gonna polish that cup into nothing." Cloud jollied with Tifa, who had been mindlessly buffing the same glass for several minutes.

"It's a _glass_, not a cup."

"Oops. My mistake, oh wise bar maiden. Getting ready for tomorrow?"

"Yup. Back to the grind, right?"

"I'll say. I just cleaned out the voice mail. Everybody's looking for good ol' Cloud to handle their oh so important packages."

"Better you than J.T. itself" Tifa said.

"You ain't kiddin'..."

Tifa referred to Junon Transcontinental Delivery, the current largest parcel exchange company in the world. It was also the company that bought out Cloud's delivery service.

Though he was hesitant to sell at first, Cloud was convinced not only by the very generous lump sum offer J.T.D. made, but by two more reasons as well. First was the promise the he'd keep his delivery service, as a subsidiary. The offer was beneficial to both parties, as Cloud would not lose his business and J.T.D. would gain Cloud's built-in customer base.

Second was a reason much more personal. In a word, it was security. The chance to be certain that his his loved ones would never have to worry about long-term and day-to-day living expenses was too great to ignore.

With all of that staring him in the face, Cloud sought council from the one person who would not steer him wrong. He didn't have to stay at the old church for long, however, as the answer was abundantly clear...

"Well, you're back. You don't have to worry about J.T. stealing your customers."

"Who are, in essence, already their customers through me."

"Okay, Mister Technical."

"It wouldn't be like if Eastwind were stealing _your_ customers, Teef."

"...Don't you _ever_ mention _that_ place in my presence again." Tifa growled, as Cloud felt his feet step backward all on their own.

"W-What place, honey?"

"_That_ place."

"Eastwind?" Cloud teased.

"I said don't mention that place!" Tifa shouted, then hurled the glass she was holding at Cloud with all her considerable might!

Thanks to lightning fast reflexes, Cloud dodged the glass, and it exploded loudly into a million pieces against the wall behind him.

"What the hell did you do _that_ for!? Have you lost your mind!?" Cloud scolded, still unsettled by what just happened. "You could've put me in the hospital, Tifa! What the fuck!?"

"...Sorry."

"Sorry? _Sorry_? You just flung a fucking glass at my head full power and all you can say is sorry?"

"I'm _really_ sorry?"

"Dammit, Tifa...I didn't want to say anything, but you've been acting erratic all day."

"Erratic? Why do I have to be erratic?"

"Because that's how you're acting. The thing with Yuffie, now this...Tifa, something isn't right. You haven't been yourself since we got home, and I just wonder why."

"...Cloud, I'm sorry. I know I've been acting grouchy today. I don't know why though."

"Me neither..."

What Cloud didn't let on was his suspicion about that materia around Tifa's neck. The only fact that made him hesitant to point out the rock was Tifa having worn it for days in Costa and showing no abnormalities whatsoever.

Still, he would not completely rule it out. He knew also that if Tifa's behavior became any more offbeat, he would rip it off of her and throw it into the ocean...

"...Maybe I'm just upset our vacation is over."

"You must've had a helluva time to be _that_ pissed off about coming home."

"Didn't you?"

"I suppose so. Not really looking forward to work tomorrow myself."

"Right...So, if that's all, I'll just have to get over it. Simple."

"Simple..."

_God, let it be that simple..._

--

"Pops? Are you here?" Krysten called as she let herself into her father's home (he'd given her a key). "Hello? Vincent?"

Before she became too curious to his whereabouts, Krysten noticed a note on the coffee table that was obviously meant to be found by her. She sat down the food from the deli in exchange from the note and proceeded to read out loud...

"Dear Krysten, I have gone to meet Andie at the Eastern entrance to town. I tried calling you, but apparently you were on another call. If you have food, please feel free to begin without me. Sincerely, Vincent...I must have missed his call when I had Reno on the line. Oh well...Looks like Andie's coming sooner than later. Why have I lost my appetite?"

Krysten took the bag into the kitchen and tossed it into the refrigerator.

"Andie and Pops can have that. I got a date to go get ready for anyway."

Thinking that she would simply make a clean exit, Krysten was proven sorely wrong when Andie and Vincent walked in.

"Oh, God..." Krysten mumbled.

"Hi, Krysten. Long time, no see." Andie greeted, sounding unusually friendly.

"Hey, Andie. Hey, Pops. I was just leaving. There's a couple sandwiches in the fridge. I--"

"Krysten, shut up. You're not going anywhere. We have to talk."


	24. Population spike

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #25-"Population spike"

"Talk about what?" Krysten asked her sister, more anxious to leave than genuinely curious.

"About a discovery I made." Andie replied.

Without giving her a chance to resist, Andie pushed Krysten toward the wine red sofa and forced her to sit.

"A discovery? What kind of discovery? Pops, what is she talking about?"

"I am not sure, Krysten." Vincent replied, preferring to stand by the door while his daughters sat. "Andie, what discovery have you made indeed?"

"I'll tell you both. I talked to my dad earlier this week. I told him about you, Vincent, all that. Anyway, he said he knew there were other Neo-Cetra who'd avoided termination." Andie explained, speaking so quickly that Krysten barely understood her.

"...Okay. Your point?"

"Krysten, did you hear what I said? He said there were other Neo-_Cetra_ who survived..."

Krysten re-examined Andie's wording, and the proverbial light bulb above her head came on.

"Other Neo-Cetra, as in more than just you and I?"

"Exactly. My dad always led me to believe I was the only one, but he knew I wasn't."

"Why did he hide it from you?"

"Because...He said I'd go looking for them if I knew they were out there, and it would have been dangerous, and he was right. I mean about me looking for them. But that's not important. What is important is that there's more of us out there, Krysten." Andie hastily explained.

"...Suddenly, being a Neo-Cetra is in vogue. Just how many more are there? Where are they? Doesn't your dad know?"

"No more than yours I assume."

"That would be none, probably...Pops, don't look now. You may be a father more times over than you think." Krysten joked.

"Oh my..." Vincent uttered.

"Krysten, don't scare him like that."

"I'm just joshing. What would be the odds of Pops' swimmers having been used for every Neo-Cetra?"

"What would be the odds of us both being his?"

"Point taken...Never mind all that. What do you plan on doing, Andie? You going to look for the others?"

"I want to. If I do, I could use a hand."

Andie smiled at Krysten cloyingly...

"...So _this_ is what you really wanted to talk about. You want to ask if I'll help you find the other Neo-Cetra."

"If you would be so inclined."

"I'm sort of looking for something myself right now, Andie. You know that."

"Would you forget about that true Holy materia? Wherever it is, it's fine."

"Andie, do you even give consideration to the notion of thinking before you speak? The Holy materia is the soul of the planet, how soon you forget? If I don't find it, someone else will, and that spells B-A-D. So, I can't just _forget_ about it."

"What the heck are you doing here in Edge then? Why are you not out there looking if it's so important?"

"Because...I-I thought I could spare a few days for Pops." Krysten admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, right...Sorry, Pops." Andie told Vincent.

"It is fine."

"...Andie, I know I took time off from my own search, but I can't help you with yours. I have to focus on finding the Holy materia."

"Just why is it so important that _you_ find it anyway?" Andie inquired, slightly annoyed by what she saw as Krysten's arrogance.

"I already told you. If it falls into the wrong hands, it will be very, very bad."

"Define bad."

"Gladly. If someone who is _not_ a Neo-Cetra gets their hands on it first, the fur will fly. The true Holy is a relic that is far too powerful for humans to handle. It's power is so great that if a human comes into contact with it, they will be overwhelmed. The power will consume them, and not in slow fashion either. They will be driven insane, and after that, delusions of godhood will plague their every waking moment."

"Just like Sephiroth." Vincent commented.

"Pops, I know you were there when Sephiroth was running amok, but what I'm talking about is worse. Sephiroth would be considered a choir boy compared to the delusions the Holy materia can induce."

"...That is an extreme remark. Is it that dire?"

"According to legend, yes."

"Can the true Holy actually _give_ a human god-like powers?"

"It's the most powerful relic in existence, Andie. If someone who could actually control the power were in possession of it, there's no limit to what they could achieve. But, a human would die before they could control the materia enough to actually use it's power."

"Die?" Andie uttered.

"Did I neglect to mention that? Yes, die. Slowly and painfully."

"Sweet mother of Gaia...Krysten, what if another one of _us_ gets a hold of the true Holy? Then what?"

"...I never gave that any consideration. I thought it was just you and I until five minutes ago...Dammit to hell."

"Sorry to be a smart-ass, but, wouldn't it behoove us to find the rest of the Neo-Cetras now?" Andie smugly pointed out.

"...I hate it when you're right." Krysten grumbled.

"When I'm _what_? They didn't hear you in Kalm."

"When you're _right_, okay?"

"Heh, heh."

Krysten rose to her boots and adjusted her jacket.

"I suppose we have to consolidate our objectives...Pops, we may need AVALANCHE's help."

"I'm certain that is doable." Krysten's father replied.

"I was actually looking forward to meeting the rest of those guys, especially the newlyweds." said Andie. "Are they home yet?"

"Apparently." Krysten answered. "Earlier, Yuffie came flying out of the Seventh Heaven in tears because Tifa hurt her feelings somehow."

"What transpired?"

"I don't know...No offense, Pops, but to tell you the truth, I didn't like that woman the moment I met her."

"I didn't like her either. For some reason, I was really upset with her on the Highwind."

"Why? You've never even seen her face to face."

"I know, but, on the Highwind, I felt this deep contempt for her...I don't know. I guess I just felt a little jealous on Aeris's behalf or something."

"...In any case, I would like to get the formalities out of the way now. I have somewhere to be tonight."

"You've made plans?"

"Yes, Pops. I agreed to go on a date with Re...with someone."

"With whom?"

"Um...Reno."

"...I see."

"Who's Reno?" Andie asked in a mischievous voice.

"He is a poor excuse for a Turk. A disgrace to my former post in fact."

"Pops, how can you say that?"

"It is the truth...I am not pleased that you would entertain his advances, Krysten."

"But, you didn't have a problem shoveling me off to him for a dance at the wedding."

"That was different. He was not in a position to try anything on you."

"I'm going out tonight with Reno, whether you like it or not." Kier asserted herself.

"I can not stop you...If he tries anything--"

"Don't worry. I'll keep him at arm's length."  
"Pops, I can chaperon if you want." Andie teased.

"Shut up, Andie."

Krysten considered adding the secondary motive of going out with Reno, that being a night of freedom from Andie herself, but decided to let it go.

"Look, could we get going? I still want to go look for a new outfit."

"Yes, Krysten. Let's go."

--

"Hey, Kellen. Come here for a second." Miss J. beckoned.

She had spent the better part of the day so far researching news articles on Kellen's computer. Specifically, news articles about recent spikes in lifestream activity taking place in various locations worldwide. She'd made a rather interesting discovery...

"What is it?" Kellen asked as he came from the kitchen.

"I've been looking up information about those lifestream spikes that are going on, and look what I just happened to turn up."

"...Hmmm..."

Try as he did, Kellen could not make sense of what Miss J. was showing him on the monitor. All he saw was an archived article of the Junon Herald with photos of the city's ocean front and the people occupying the streets.

"I give up. What are you trying to show me?"

"Look harder."

"I'm looking, I'm looking."

"Do you see anything, or _anyone_, in particular?"

"...No, not really. Who am I supposed to see?"

"Kellen, do I have to actually say what it is?"

"It would help."

"You big chocobo brain. Look at that woman in the upper righthand corner."

"...That's Tifa Strife. So, what's the big deal?"

"The big deal is, at exactly the same time Tifa was photographed here, there was a serious spike in the ocean right off the coast. It says so right here." Miss J. said, pointing a finger at the column detailing the sudden lifestream activity.

"...What does this have to do with Tifa Strife?"

"Getting to that..."

Quickly, Miss J. pulled up a related article, this time detailing activity in the ocean off of Costa Del Sol.

"Look. There's our photogenic heroine."

Sure enough, Tifa was again in a photograph, clad in a red one piece bathing suit.

"Yowsa."

"Kellen, don't make me hurt you. Focus."

"Focus on what? What does Tifa have to do with the lifestream spikes?"

"If my hunch is right, she has everything to do with it...It would make more sense if I went a little further back to when the spikes started happening."

Miss J. backtracked to an article out of the Rocket Town Voice from two months past. It was the first one detailing erratic lifestream activity. Sequentially, Miss J. pulled up articles all describing the same phenomenon, and they all followed a distinct trail that led to Costa Del Sol.

One thing the articles all had in common was a photograph with someone in possession of a peculiar necklace and materia around their neck. For the photos prior to Costa, it was a rather pale, sickly looking man who looked as though he'd not slept in weeks. Since Costa and up to Junon, it was Tifa.

"...So, wherever that necklace goes, so go the spikes."

"That's my hunch. It could just be a coincidence for all I know...If there's a spike right here in Edge, around where Tifa lives, we'll know for certain."

"What do you make of it all, Jessica?"

"What do I make of it? I think that whatever that materia is, the spirits are eagerly drawn to it, hence the spikes. That leads me to suspect that it could very well be the true Holy materia."

"What does _that_ mean?"

"...If Tifa's in possession of that materia, her life and the lives of everyone around her are in danger. Serious danger, Kellen."


	25. Life of the party

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #26-"Life of the party"

As she said she would, Yuffie retrieved Marlene and Denzel from the video game arcade just a few blocks from Tifa's building. Normally, they would have been reluctant to leave the arena of loud noises and flashing lights, but not on this occasion. For on this day, Cloud and Tifa were home safe and sound, and with loads of souvenirs (Marlene hoped).

"Okay, guys. Go on ahead." Yuffie ordered them as they arrived outside of the bar.

It was clear that Yuffie had no intention of going inside with them.

"C'mon, Denzel! I bet I got cooler presents than you!"

"Na-uh!"

"C'mon, Yuffie!"

"No, not this time guys. I'm afraid I can't stay."

"Okey-dokey. See ya!"

The kids were too excited to care about Yuffie, and left her right on the sidewalk as they burst into the bar to find their newly married guardians. The young ninja just sighed, contemplating whether or not she had overreacted earlier, and if maybe she should talk to Tifa.

After all, Tifa was her best friend. At least, the closest thing she'd ever had to a best friend, which was saying a whole world's worth. Growing up, not a lot of people really wanted to be bothered with her. Even her father, Godo, seemed to go out of his way to avoid her.

By the time she was sixteen, Yuffie had made being an outcast an art form. She had begun doing things that were not nice or honest, and in a lot of ways were even passive aggressive. Stealing was the main offense amongst her ill behaviors. It started with covertly snatching tips left for the service at Turtle's Paradise. Somehow it graduated all the way up to robbing innocent travelers in the woods outside of Fort Condor, or any other wooded area on the map for that matter.

Comfortable in the knowledge that she was untouchable, Yuffie did not care who came her way during one of her robbery stake-outs. That is, until a band of travelers led by a guy with spikey hair showed up in her area. Try as she did, the young ninja descendant had met her match, and actually ended up joining that guy's motley crew (if only for the opportunity to rob them later). Tifa, a member of the group, subsequently took her under her wing, and had been there for her ever since...

Yuffie still stood there on the sidewalk, almost embarrassed about the scene she made in Tifa's home. Was it really necessary to have gotten so upset? Yuffie knew that she could simply be too sensitive at times. Despite her spunky attitude, her ego was very delicate and not at all difficult to shatter.

On the other hand, that was not the first instance of Tifa displaying mean spirited behavior toward her. It was always just easier to laugh it off.

_Because, it's only me after all. Little Yuffie Kisaragi, the good ol' joke member of the team. That's me...Nah, you don't have to, gasp, treat me like a _person_. Matter of fact, you don't have to treat me at all. You can just leave me where I am and it won't matter. Nothing will change without me around..._

In her heart she knew that was nonsense, but Yuffie did so love a good pity party...

Realizing that she was making an impasse of herself on the sidewalk, Yuffie crossed the road to that same bench she had shared with Krysten earlier, then sat...

--

"...Teef, just go to her." Cloud tried to encourage his wife, who'd been staring out at Yuffie.

The kids had come, said their hellos and gave their hugs, then disappeared to play with some new toys that the newlyweds bought for them in Costa Del Sol. Tifa had since been standing at a window by the front of the bar, looking at her best girlfriend while staying hidden from Yuffie's own line of vision.

"Go to her...How can I just go to her, Cloud? I snapped on her for no reason, once again...I can't just go to her and say 'I'm sorry', _again_. It would sound ridiculous."

"It'd be better than acting like nothing happened."

"I'm not acting like nothing happened, Cloud. I know what I did. It's what I always do to that girl...Some friend I am, huh?"

Cloud said something, but it was lost on Tifa. She'd moved away from the window and back behind the bar. For a few moments, she studied the liquid inventory lined up along the counter behind the bar. It would be only a thought, however. Tifa never drank that which she served, not even in stressful times. Were that the case, she would have been useless at her own wedding.

Instead of a bottle, Tifa grabbed a rag and began polishing the finished wooden surface of the bar.

"...You gonna be alright?" Cloud asked from the other side of the room.

"Yeah...I'll be fine. Go ahead."

Tifa could read Cloud like a grade school textbook. He wanted to go out and take a long ride.

"I'll be back before supper." He promised.

"Don't worry about it, honey. Just go on."

"...I love you."

Cloud's sudden declaration caught Tifa off guard. Not because he said it, but because of how he said it...

"I...love you too. You know that, right?"

"I do...I'll be back."

"And I'll be here."

--

Now that he needed to take a ride, Cloud had to retrieve Fenrir from Cid's garage. He did not want anyone tampering with his bike while he was away, so he left it where no one would dare trespass without a surefire way to avoid the wrath of Ifrit, in the form of Cid Highwind.

"Hey, short stuff." Cloud greeted Yuffie, who was still on the bench feeling sorry for herself.

"Cloud..."

"Y'know, Tifa's in _there_, not out here."

"I know." Yuffie lightly chuckled.

"...She's sorry, by the way."

"..."

"...Wanna go for a ride?"

"Huh?"

"Do you wanna go for a ride with me?"

"Oh, a ride...Sorry, but I'm not in much of a fun mood right now."

"So you're gonna sit here all day? You know they start charging by the hour to sit on public benches after twelve P.M., don't you?"

"They do _not_." Yuffie outright giggled.

"Shhh. Don't let Reeve hear that."

By now, Yuffie was all smiles. Cloud always knew how to cheer her up, no matter how much she wanted to 'party'.

"My lips are sealed. Far be it for me to give Reeve another excuse to pump us for gil." Yuffie said of the kindhearted but revenue-hungry leader of the WRO.

"Good...You sure you don't want to go riding?"

"I'm sure. There's something I should take care of now."

"She's right there behind the bar."

--

Tifa was intently polishing the same spot on the bar when she heard the door swing open. To her relief, there stood Yuffie.

"Hey."

"...Yuffie."

Yuffie had to ready herself quickly for Tifa as she came barreling from behind the bar to wrap her in a tight embrace.

"Yuffie, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to snap on you like that. I was just upset about coming home and going back to work--"

"Tifa, it's okay. Listen, I'm sorry I got all dramatic about it. I totally overreacted."

"...Truce?"

"Of course...Tifa, could you let up? I can't breathe."

"Sorry...I just don't know my own strength sometimes." Tifa admitted with an embarassed laugh, letting her younger friend loose.

"Tell me about it."

"...Yuffie, I'm sorry that I go off on you sometimes."

Tifa noticed Yuffie simply nod, as if to say "And?"

"I don't know why I give you a hard time in particular. I guess maybe it's because you're like my little sister." Tifa said, and shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, if that's what having a big sister is like, I'm glad I'm an only child." Yuffie said flatly, deliberately making Tifa wonder if she was serious or only joking.

"...Being an only child isn't so much fun."

"No, it's not. At least you had Cloud. I had a Godo." Yuffie expressed bitterly.

"At least you had, and still have, a father." Tifa countered, offended by Yuffie's offhand remark.

"Excuse me, but are we competing over who had the more fucked up childhood here?"

"I never said _my_ childhood was fucked up. You're the one with rejection _and_ father issues."

It took all the resolve Yuffie could summon to not follow her first instinct and run away. She would not run from Tifa this time. Fists clenched so hard that her knuckles hurt, she stood her ground and prepared to defend her dignity.

"...That was mean, Tifa. That was mean and uncalled for, and I demand an apology."

"An apology? You said so _yourself_ that you have issues. I'm just repeating _you_."

"They're _my_ issues, and _I_ can talk about them however _I_ want. You have no right to talk about them like that."

"...You're right. I'm--"

"Save it. Please, just save it. I'm sick of hearing it. I'm leaving now. Not running away, but leaving of my own accord. Later."

"...Later."

--

As Yuffie hastily walked away from Seventh Heaven, she saw the brand new Valentine clan coming toward her. She stopped and waited for them to approach her, which they did shortly...

"Hi, Yuffie. Long time, no see." Andie greeted, genuinely happy to see her.

"You mean a week?"

"Ha ha. Okay, not _that_ long."

"Where are you guys all going? To have a family portrait done?"

Vincent sensed the slight acidity in Yuffie's tone.

"Nothing of the sort. That will be tomorrow." he joked, nearly giving Yuffie a heart attack.

"Vinnie, did you just make a funny!?"

"He sure did." Krysten proudly spoke up. "I've been teaching Pops the finer points of humor."

"And failing miserably, which is where I came in." Andie followed, wasting no time getting over on Krysten.

"Whatever the case, that was pretty good Vinnie."

"Thank you. Do not expect it to become a habit."

"No way...So, where _are_ you all going?"

"To see Cloud and Tifa."

"Oh." Yuffie uttered, face falling. "Cloud's not home right now. He went for a ride."

"Tifa?"

"Being a mega bi...She's there, in the bar."

"...Tread carefully?"

"Yup." Yuffie said, emphatically nodding her head.

"Hmm. Thank you, Yuffie."

"No problem. See ya."

Without another word, Yuffie continued down the sidewalk.


	26. Like seeing a ghost

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #27-"Like seeing a ghost"

Having forgotten to lock the business entrance to her establishment, Tifa was startled when she heard it close. She'd been in the storeroom taking a quick inventory, and was not in the mood for dealing with a regular who had mistakenly thought that the bar was open today.

Not wanting to be rude, she exited back out to the front, intent on quickly and politely dismissing whomever this was, but was halted dead in her stride by the presence of the woman she'd least wanted to meet face to face.

"V-Vincent."

"Hello, Tifa. I hope that you do not mind this sudden intrusion."

"N-No, you're good..."

Without warning, Andie Chiefstone approached the bartender. Tifa remained calm, and even felt a warm sense of familiarity while looking into Andie's glowing emerald irises.

"Hello."

"...Andie Chiefstone I presume?

"Last I checked."

"...We meet at last."

"Yeah."

For what seemed like an eternity, the two women stared into one another, neither giving any hint as to what they were, respectively, thinking. Krysten hung back from the encounter, but remained on alert. She'd felt an unexpected but strong sense of loyalty to Andie, and, if the need arose, was ready to stand up for her sister.

"...The rumors are more true than I had ever imagined. You really do look just like Aeris." Tifa noted.

"You're one of the first people who've ever said that." Andie said in a playfully sarcastic manner.

"It's unreal. My God...If I didn't know she was gone..."

"You'd think I were her. Unfortunately, we can't make that mistake now can we?"

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound insensitive."

"Don't worry about it..."

Andie didn't want to make it known that her sixth sense was going crazy. There was a highly peculiar aura around Tifa, thick and pungent. But Andie could not pinpoint it's source...

"...Vincent, I heard the good news." Tifa said, hoping he would humor her need to change the subject. "You're a proud papa now."

"Yes, I am." Vincent resonated with as much pride in his voice as a father could summon.

"That's so great. I'm so happy for you. Nobody deserves such a blessing more than you do."

Tifa was being sincere to her very core. She'd always hoped that someday, somehow, Vincent would find real happiness from somewhere, and if being blessed with two beautiful daughters didn't count, then all hope was gone.

"Thank you."

"I think it deserves a toast. Do you guys fancy the hard stuff?" The bar maiden asked the Valentine sisters.

"Yes, but only if it's white." Andie replied.

"I'll take a shot of Vodka, one-eighty proof if you got it." said Krysten, making Tifa's eyes widen in disbelief.

"Wow, one-eighty. You certainly like to party, eh?"

"Sometimes."

"That's the _really_ hard stuff, girl. Reno would be impressed. Ha ha."

"He's a drinker I take it."

"Well, I won't put anybody on blast, but Reno can hold his liquor. Wink, wink."

"I see..."

Tifa could sense the trepidation in Krysten's tone, and it made her mischievously curious.

"What's wrong? Don't too much like a man who drinks?"

"It's not that." Krysten responded, slightly red-faced. "I just sort of had a bad experience with a man who drank. Old boyfriend."

Vincent set a new land speed record in reaching "over-protective father" mode.

"Who was he?"

"Pops, would you chill? He's old news. It doesn't matter what his name is."

"Oh, Vincent. You're quite the overreactionary papa." Tifa laughed as she poured a round of shots to toast.

"Yes, I am." Vincent snorted.

"Yeah, he is. It's annoying."

"Become used to it, Krysten."

"...Hmph."

"Now, now, now. No father/daughter spats in my bar." Tifa demanded as she assigned each of her guests a shot, and took a glass of cider for herself. "Instead, I propose a toast. To the newly unified Valentine family. May you be happy and well, and may you not drive your father insane, ladies."

Glasses clinked, and liquor was drained...

--

"Hi there, Mister Newlywed." Shera greeted Cloud from the front porch as he walked onto the Highwinds' property.

Shera did not go with Cid to retrieve the honeymooners from Costa Del Sol, so she had not seen them since last week. She approached him and gave him a friendly hug.

"Hey, Shera."

"...Cloud? Is something wrong?"

"Huh?"

"You look perturbed." Shera stated as she adjusted her glasses.

"I do?"

"Yes, you do...I certainly hope there isn't trouble in paradise already."

"No, of course not. I'm fine. I just need to take a ride." Cloud said, rather defensively.

"Oh, you've come for Fenrir. Thank God."

"Thank...God?"

"Yes. Cloud, Cid has lost his silly little mind. He's been talking about taking and riding that thing out on the plains all week."

Cloud had to snuff a sudden chuckle and compose himself.

"He _what_?"

"He's been threatening to take that bike out and ride it. Could you imagine, that old codger trying to ride a superbike? He'd _kill_ his fool self. I had to watch him like a hawk all week to make sure he didn't do anything stupid. The last thing that man needs to do is die, especially with a baby on the way."

"Yeah, that'd suck...Shera, did you just say baby on the way?"

"Oh, you and Tifa weren't here. I found out on Tuesday that I'm pregnant."

"Hey, that's great! Congratulations, Shera!"

"Thank you, but I think I need a prayer instead. Cid is having a mid-life crisis and it is not good for my stress levels, which in turn isn't good for the baby."

"I ain't havin' no stinkin' mid-life crisis, woman." The old captain grumbled as he came from practically out of nowhere. "Cloud, don't listen to her. I 'm not trying to fight off old Father Time and make an ass out of myself in the process."

"Yeah, right." Shera rebuffed.

"You're full of it, little lady."

"Hey, cut her some slack Cid."

"Yeah, yeah. So, what did you want?"

"I just came to get Fenrir."

"Need a break from the missus already? Ha!"

"Leave the boy alone, you big oaf." said Mrs.Highwind. "Everything is just fine, isn't it Cloud?"

"Yeah...Just fine. I'm going to get my bike. See ya...Oh, and congratulations."

"Thanks."

--

Back at the bar, Tifa has gotten very comfortable with the Valentine sisters. She even wondered why she'd been so afraid of them, namely Andie, whom she found to be quite likable (after a round of gin or four).

"Tifa, I'm a little empty here." The barely legal Ms. Chiefstone informed Tifa, holding up her glass.

"Andie, am I going to have to call a cab for you?" Tifa replied teasingly.

"No, that will not be necessary. This will be her last." Vincent interceded.

"Pops, you are such a _buzz kill_, man." Andie whined, the slurs taking hold of her speech.

"You haven't seen the half of it." Tifa promised her.

"No dating, no drinking, no fun. That's our Pops." Krysten chirped, herself feeling the blitz-tastic effect of 180 proof liquor.

"Aw, don't say that. He's new to fatherhood, so you girls should cut him a little slack."

"Bah! Pour me another shot, that's what _you_ do, Tee-fah." Andie insisted.

"Ah ha. Sure thing."

_Okay, then. Somebody's cut off after this round..._

"Tifa, how can you stand it?" Krysten inquired.

"Stand what?"

"Not drinking, when you have such a fine inventory."

"Oh. It's nothing, really. I just don't like to drink."

"Then why on Gaia did you become a bartender?"

"Necessity." Tifa patiently answered. "I needed to make a living when I first came to Midgar, so took a job at a bar. Then I bought it."

"Yet you're not a drinker."

"I never thought I had to be."

"I don't get it...I'd never give a gun shop owner my money if they'd never fired a gun in their life." Krysten snorted.

_Just as well, seeing how you aren't paying me for drinks..._

"That's your opinion, and you're certainly entitled to it." Tifa calmly uttered.

"You know it...Tifa, we didn't really come here to get plastered. We came to ask for a little help."

"Help? What kind of help?"

"There is potential danger afoot." Vincent began...

Taking turns, Vincent and Krysten explained their situation to Tifa. Andie, in the middle stages of alcoholic euphoria, only nodded along with a silly grin on her face.

"...You mean to say there are more of you Neo-Cetra roaming around?"

"Yup-up-up." Andie slurred.

"Then there's a mega powerful materia just floating around out there somewhere."

"That's about the size of it...I've been slacking off. I have to find it before it falls into the wrong hands."

"You don't have any idea where it could be?"

"I used to think so, but at this rate I wouldn't be surprised if it was right under my nose and I was just overlooking it."

Krysten stared at the materia around Tifa's neck...

"...What are the odds that _that's_ the true Holy?"

"Slim and none!" Andie obnoxiously guffawed.

"Yeah, probably. I'd know if that was it...It's a pretty materia though, Tifa."

"Thank you. I'm particularly fond of it myself..."

Tifa had a sudden flashback to the scene with Yuffie, where she'd unceremoniously bit her head off for merely wanting to try on the necklace. A pang of guilt hit her right in the gut.

"...Yeah. I'm real fond of it..."


	27. Andie got shot up

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #28-"Andie got shot up"

"Listen, whatever me and the others can do to help, we'll be more than happy to." Tifa told Krysten. "Vincent's like family to us, so that makes you and Andie like family too."

"That means a great deal, Tifa." said Vincent.

"Hey, don't mention it."

"...I should get going. I want to find a new outfit for tonight." Krysten announced as she stood up from the bar and adjusted her trademark white denim jacket.

"What do you have going on tonight? Hot date?" Tifa asked, the way she would ask one of her patrons in an attempt to make small talk.

"More like a mercy date." The braided one dourly replied.

"Who is the poor schlub?"

"Reno."

"Reno? Wow...There's a story in there somewhere, I'm sure."

"You're right."

"...But, you're not telling."

"Again, you're right."

"Hey, I know when to back off...Vincent, don't do anything rash if Reno & Krysten happen to hit it off." Tifa jested with the wink of an eye.

"I can make no promises."

"Pops, don't be such a grumpy pants." Andie, who was complacently inebriated at this point, butted in. "If my sister likes this Vegas guy, then you leave her alone. You hear me? Hic."

"It's _Reno_, Andie. Thanks, though."

"Don't mention it, sis. Hic...Sis. Ha ha. Kryss, my sis."

"For the thousandth time, it's _Kryst_--"

"Whaddevurrr, man. Tifa, why is my glass empty? Fill it!"

"No can do, Andie. You're done."

"Boooooo!"

"Bartender's call, young lady. Sorry." Tifa apologized.

"I don't like the bartender!"

As Andie pouted, Tifa couldn't help but be tickled inside. She watched Andie, and could not even begin to imagine Aeris getting drunk and behaving in that manner.

"Vincent, why don't you take our party animal back to your place?"

"A good idea."

"If that's the plan, then I'll see you later Pops."

"Very well, Krysten. Andie, let's be on our way."

"I'll be back, Tee-fah. You haven't seen the last of _me_." Andie stammered.

Vincent helped Andie to her feet and walked her out of the bar, leaving Tifa and Krysten alone...

"...That sister of mine is so embarrassing."

"Ha ha. It takes all kinds, y'know."

"No exceptions?"

"Nope, never."

"Drat...Tifa, I'd like to thank you for hearing me out. Thanks for wanting to help."

"Like I said, you're family around here. I mean that. Whatever you need, you hear?"

"...Know anything about what to wear on a date?" Krysten tactfully changed the subject.

"Me? Can't say that I do. I was never much of a dating person...As a matter of fact, I've only ever been on one real date, and it was at The Golden Saucer no less...Isn't that lame?"

"Not really. I've only been on one date myself, at a wedding with my biological father."

"Ouch. You got me there."

Tifa recalled getting upset with Yuffie over her own remark about her father. Yet another pang of guilt stabbed her directly in the gut.

"...Say, you didn't happen to run into Yuffie on the way here, did you?"

"As a matter of fact, we did...She doesn't seem pleased with you, Tifa. Is that a correct assumption?"

"Yeah. She hates my guts right now." Tifa placed it bluntly.

"Why? I always thought that you were particularly close. She was your maid of honor, after all."

"We are close, it's just...I've been having a shitty day, pardon my language."

"I don't mind."

"Thanks. Anyway, I was using Yuffie as my whipping post, like I always tend to do. She's just finally had enough...I don't think she'll be back this time either." Tifa admitted to Krysten and to herself at once.

"You sound pretty convinced."

"I am. I saw it in her eyes...She's done with me, and it's all my fault."

"You can't say that."

"Yes, I can...It was bound to happen anyway. It would've happened even without this stupid necklace."

"Come again?"

"She asked to try it on, and I just flamed her. She may as well have asked me for an eyeball with the way I lost it."

"Oh, my. You did say you were fond of that trinket, but I had no idea. What's so special about it?"

"It's lucky, supposedly. That's it."

"But, isn't lucky materia purple?"

"Technically, but the man who sold it to me said it was lucky. He was pretty adamant about it. It was like he wanted nothing more than to get rid of it. He probably would have said anything."

"...How much did you pay for it?"

The gears in Krysten's brain were beginning to turn. She realized that her joking statement of a few minutes past may in fact be reality...

"My husband only paid about a hundred gil for it...That did seem pretty cheap, but I didn't think about it at the time."

_It was ridiculously cheap...No one would sell a gold necklace with a perfect-materia charm for a measly hundred gil...unless they wanted rid of it that badly._

"...The guy who sold it to you. What did he look like?"

"...Oh, my God...He was thin, and pretty sickly. Looked like he hadn't had a decent night's rest in ages. His eyes were so radiantly glowing that you could barely look him in the face without being creeped out...Damn. He looked like a textbook Mako junkie."

Tifa slammed her fists into the bar, having recognized the fact she had effectively paid for a junkie's next fix.

"Shit...I don't believe this. This necklace is a goddamn Mako pawn."

"That's terrible."

Krysten played along, willing to let Tifa believe whatever could get that materia away from her the fastest. She knew that no self-respecting junkie would settle on a hundred gil for a necklace with that kind of pawn appeal, and was hoping Tifa did not possess the street smarts to know that as well.

"I suppose you don't want anything to do with it anymore?"

"Hell no." Tifa said in a disgusted manner.

Krysten was near elated when Tifa made a move to take the necklace off, but then puzzled when she stopped herself.

"...Hmm."

"What? Don't you want to get rid of it?" Krysten inquired, trying not to sound too interested.

"I do, but...Cloud bought it for me, because I wanted it...I wasn't even paying attention to that lowlife addict, I was only thinking about the necklace. Why didn't I see that junkie for what he was?"

"It was an honest oversight, Tifa. You can't beat yourself up over it."

_What the fuck did you say that for, Krysten!? You're encouraging her to keep it, stupid!_

"I know I shouldn't beat myself up...and, it _was_ an honest mistake after all...This necklace wouldn't do any service to anybody if I just threw it away."

"...You're keeping it then?"

"Yeah...Fuck that junkie. I hope it was worth it to him. This is _my_ necklace now."

"Great..."

_Way to go, Whipshot. You've outdone yourself this time, you raging idiot. No surprise there, really._

"...Look at the time. I'd better get going if I'm going to get anything done before my date."

"Right. Well, good luck girlfriend. Have fun, and don't let Reno try anything funny. He's a sneaky one."

"I've got my taser set to stun at all times."

"Good for you. Ha ha."

"Bye."

"Bye, Krysten."

--

Krysten exited the bar and began a hasty retreat toward Vincent's apartment. She had no intention on breaking her date, but her priorities were unexpectedly rearranged...

_Tifa Strife has the true Holy, I'm sure of it. Here I thought I was merely joking about it being right under my nose, and it's the damn truth...I have to get it away from her A.S.A.P., but she's not just going to hand it over...Normally I'd just put my gun in her face, old school, but Pops would never speak to me again. I don't want to destroy the relationship we're growing, so that's out...I have to do it on the low-key, but how? I can't take it off her without her noticing. I'm nowhere near that slick. I don't even friggin' know anybody who is. Maybe Pops can help somehow--_

Once again, Krysten's deep train of thought caused her to lose touch with her surroundings. She smacked right into an oncoming couple, and they all tumbled down to the pavement!

"Ow!" The woman of the couple groaned, holding her left leg and grimacing in pain.

"Oh, no! I-I'm sorry!" Krysten blurted as she stood up and offered her each of hands to the couple.

"Why don't you watch where you're going, you stupid klutz!?" The woman berated Krysten as she rose to her feet, helping herself with a cane to stand.

"I'm sorry, I should have been more careful. It was an accident, I swear."

"Accident my ass!"

"Calm down, Miss J. It was an honest mistake." The man of the couple tried to reason.

"Shut up, Kellen!"

Jessica ambled away from Krysten while swearing something under her breath. Kellen merely shrugged at Krysten and went to catch up.

"...Who the hell were _they_?" Krysten asked herself aloud as she watched Jessica & Kellen continue down the sidewalk.

_That chick...She felt familiar, but...how?_

--


	28. Trust

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

A/N: I have revised the first 28 chapters for better consistency and less falderal in certain places. Hope it worked XD

--

Chapter #29-"Trust"

Krysten Kier arrived at Vincent's place with roughly four hours until her date with Reno, which gave her enough time to relay her newest theory to her family and plan a course of action...

"Hey." Krysten greeted as she walked in past her father.

"Krysten, what brings you here? What of your plans?" Vincent asked as he closed the door behind her.

"They're still on, but I had to come here first...Where's Andie?"

"She is asleep, in my bed."

"Good. She doesn't need to hear what I have to say right now."

"That being?"

"It's Tifa. Pops, I believe that _she_ has the true Holy materia."

"...That is a bold accusation, Krysten. What is it founded on?"

Briefly, Krysten went over her theory with Vincent...

"...That is interesting...You do realize that you could be completly wrong, do you not?"

"I'm not wrong, Pops. I feel it in my heart. Tifa has what I've ben looking for, and I have to get it from her. Please, Vincent. I know our relationship is still young, but I need you to trust me. Tell me that you trust me."

Looking into his daughter's pleading eyes, Vincent knew that he could not turn her away.

"I trust you, Krysten."

"You do?"

"You are my daughter. You have asked for my trust, and there is no reason for me to withhold it."

"Thank you." Krysten sighed in relief. "That makes the rest of what I had to say easier...Pops, Tifa is very much attached to that necklace. She has made it clear that she won't give it up."

"Perhaps if you told her what it really was, she would relinquish it. Tifa is a reasonable person after all."

"She doesn't seem unreasonable, but...I don't want to upset her."

"I understand...Krysten, you have asked for my trust. Now I ask that you give yours in return."

"Of course I trust you, Pops."

"No, not I. I ask that you trust Tifa."

"...Right. You really don't think she'll be upset?"

"I doubt it."

"Then it's worth a try, I guess. I'll do it...Thanks, Pops."

Krysten leaned in and gave Vincent a quick kiss on the cheek, and left without another word. Vincent stood in place and allowed himself to relish the idea he'd done something fatherly.

--

Vincent's daughter returned to Seventh Heaven, and was met with a locked front door adorned with a sign that read "Closed".

"Damn..."

"Looking for Tifa?" Yuffie asked from out of nowhere, making Krysten leap an inch into the air.

"Hey, don't do that!"

"Sorry."

"I _hate_ being sneaked up on. You're lucky I didn't shoot you on reflex."

"You wouldn't have hit me anyway. I'm too quick." Yuffie confidently dismissed Krysten.

"Wanna bet?" Krysten snorted. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were pissed at Tifa."

"I am, and that's why I came back. I'm gonna give her a piece of my mind once and for all, if I can find her."

"She's not here?"

"Apparently not. I tried the entrance to her apartment, but no answer."

"Where could she have gone that quickly? I left here only twenty-five minutes ago."

"Who knows? I don't know about you, but I'm gonna wait for her. I want to tell her off but good."

"I'm afraid I don't have the luxury of waiting. I have to prepare for an engagement."

"Where are you going?"

"Um..."

Krysten was hesitant to share her plans with Yuffie, because it was from her that Krysten got Reno's PHS number. She did not want Yuffie to think of her as easily attainable.

"...Nowhere important."

"Little white lies made the baby Yuffie cry. Spill it, Kier. Where are you going, and who are you going with? Don't tell me you're going out with a certain member of the Turkeys, who's PHS number you happen to possess."

"Well, since you're so damn perceptive." Krysten fumed, blushing from ear to ear.

"Aw, don't feel bad. You can't jive a jivester, that's all."

"Whatever. See you around."

"Wait a minute." Yuffie said as she blocked Krysten from walking away.

"What?"

"You never said what you were doing here, all alone this time around no less."

"Tifa has something I want, and I have to convince her to give it to me."

"...Ooooohhhhh-kay. Not very specific, but--"

"Alright. Since everybody else knows anyway, might as well tell you. Tifa has the true Holy materia and I have to get it from her."

"You don't say? I would have never thought her of all people would have such an important artifact. Go figure."

"...You know what it is?"

"Of course I know what it is. I'm Yuffie Kisaragi, materia hunter extraordinaire. It's my _job_ to know about the true Holy materia. I've been looking for it off and on for years now...Of all the rotten luck, Tifa gets it first. When the hell did _that_ happen?"

"It happened --"

"No worries, though. I'll just steal it from her, the little witch. It would serve her right for dogging me around."

"But, Yuffie, you can't do that. The materia is around her neck."

"...Oh my _Gawd_. _That_ was the true Holy? No flippin' _wonder_ she was so anal about it. It makes sense now. "

"Yeah. Anyway, I need that materia."

"Oooh, I know! You were gonna stick her up, weren't you?"

"_No_, I wasn't."

_Even though I would if the circumstances were different..._

"I was going to reason with her."

"Ha, good luck with that. Tifa doesn't _do_ reason. She's a stubborn, self-rightgeous bitch-o-saurus, I'll tell you what."

"But my father said--"

"Vincent is too naive. Plus he has a thing for Tifa, but I never said that."

Krysten recalled Vincent's request of her to trust Tifa. It had seemed genuine, and Krysten didn't believe her father would lie to her, but Yuffie planted a doubt in her mind...

"Vincent asked me to trust her." She uttered like a child unsure of _who_ to trust.

"Well, of course _he_ did. He won't say anything disparaging about his _gurl_. Look, if you want that necklace, you gotta take it."

"Take it?"

"You heard the word, nerd. Take it."

"Oh. Just snatch it from her neck, right?" Krysten deadpanned.

"No, my hairstyle-challenged friend. It has to be done with a master's touch. It'll need a quick hand and the perfect technique, which I would be willing to lend..."

"...If the price is right?"

Yuffie only smiled in response.

"Always a price, isn't it?"

"Hey, I'm just a girl tryin' to make it everyday in Edge, honey. I like to eat, y'know."

"Doesn't everyone? Hmm...I don't know, Yuffie. I don't want to just take it away from her like a common thief."

"Again, you try to snow me. You don't give a rat's ass how you get the materia. You just wanna make nice with Daddy's buddy. I ask you, what the hell for? All she's gonna do is slap you down when you offend her without even trying to offend her."

"...You seem sure of your words."

"That's 'cause I am."

"...What's your price?"

"Now you're talking my language. Let's see...Standard fee for this kind of job, plus hazard fee, minus friend's discount...For you, twenty."

"Twenty gil? That's fair."

"Ha! No, sweets. Twenty-_thousand_ gil."

"...Go screw yourself."

"Hey there now, no need to be foul. Okay, how about ten-thousand?"

"One."

"_One-_thousand!? That doesn't even cover hazard pay!"

"Fine. Three."

"Five."

"Four, and that's final."

"Alright, you win. Four-thousand it is."

The two young ladies extended respective right hands and shook, then Krysten yanked Yuffie in close to her and lowered her eyes.

"If you even think about making a run for it with the true Holy materia, I will hunt you down like a rabid, flea-bitten dog. Then I will pump you so full of lead that you'll sink to the bottom of the ocean of which I've dumped your carcass. No one, including my father, will be the wiser. Capice?"

"C-Capice." Yuffie nervously replied after gulping hard.

The fear in Yuffie's storm cloud grey eyes was a refreshing sight for Krysten, a.k.a. "Golden Tarantula", a.k.a. "Whipshot".

"You don't have to tell me twice. I won't screw you over."

"You'd better not."

"I _won't_, geez. The only person I wanna screw over is Tifa."

"How do you plan on carrying out the job?"

"What? Sorry, but a ninja never reveals their plans. I'll get it done, don't sweat it."

"...If you get busted, will it come back to me?" Krysten asked in a pointedly threatening tone.

"Will _what_ come back to you?" Yuffie replied in a knowing manner.

"You're a quick one, ninja-girl."

"That's what they all say. Heh..."

_Gawd, she's pushy. I don't know who's worse, her or Tifa...No, kill that. Tifa's worse. But, that's okay. I'm gonna teach her a little lesson about respect. She'll see why she should have never taken me for granted...Then, I'll handle Vinnie's new bundle of misery, Krysten... _

"Yuffie?"

"Hmm?"

"You aren't thinking of screwing me over in spite of my warning, are you?"

"What!? I mean, w-why would you think _that_?"

"A Neo-Cetra never reveals their secrets. All I'll say is, you'd better do right by me if you know what's good for you. I got my eye _and_ my mind on you, Kisaragi."

"Yes, ma'am."


	29. The elastic girl

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #30-"The elastic girl"

"I _knew _ that was her." said Jessica from before the computer in she and Kellen's home.

"Krysten Kier, marksman extraordinaire." said Kellen.

Jessica, still reeling from her collision with Krysten earlier, decided to log on and see if he woman she'd literally ran into was who she suspected. Jessica was right, and managed to unearth an entire page dedicated to the daughter of Vincent Valentine, courtesy of the Junon Herald.

"Look. It even says she has a habit of spacing out and running into objects and people. How unbefitting of a great marksman."

"You said it, Miss J...Can't argue with her abilities, though."

"I _can_ argue with her hair. Did someone tell her those braids were cute? If so, they lied."

"Well, they are sorta cute." Kellen sheepishly admitted.

"...You would say that, Kellen. Anyway, it says here that her skills are rumored to be attributable to powers that aren't compatible with human capability...Kellen, for the win, what does this mean?"

"She's a Neo-Cetra." The younger Heidegger replied.

"Excellent, Kellen."

"Or is it? That makes three that we know of now, not including yourself."

"The termites keep on coming out the woodwork, my friend..."

_Krysten Kier...Now there are four: you, myself, Andie Chiefstone, and _that_ guy._

"Kellen, my man, it looks like Project GARDEN was a bigger success than Shin-Ra ever anticipated."

"Or ever even _wanted_."

"Heh heh."

"What do we do now?"

"We wait. The question isn't whether or not the true Holy is in Tifa's possession, not anymore. The question now is, when will the chance to take it present itself?"

"And _how_?"

"I already know how, Kellen. We're going to enlist the aid of someone very close to Tifa. You know Yuffie Kisaragi, right?"

"How could I forget? She wouldn't tip me for delivering those flowers."

"Kellen, you need to get over that. Focus here."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Listen, she may be a tightwad, but the girl is a master thief. If anybody can swipe the Holy from Tifa and get away with it, it's her. All we have to do is speak to her in her language."

"But, we don't know Wutainese."

Jessica could only fix Kellen with an incredulous glare.

"...Kellen, I meant the language of gil. Money, bread, scratch, duckets."

"Oh, oh...I-I knew that."

"You did not." Jessica grumbled, closing out the web browser to reveal her desktop background.

"You're still using that wallpaper?" Kellen inquired.

"Yeah...So?"

"I just thought you'd moved past that part of your life."

"...I like to stay motivated."

Jessica, the woman Kellen affectionately called Miss J, stared purposefully at the desktop background. It was a photograph of herself, Biggs, Wedge, and Barret in front of the old Seventh Heaven, taken shortly after they'd made the place their headquarters. "The happier times", as she called them.

Those days were long gone, as were Biggs and Wedge. They did not share Jessica's unbelievable good fortune. They died, as they were intended. Only she survived. She, and...

_That one-armed bastard...Why did _you_ live? Why did Biggs and Wedge have to...It's fine, though. Once I take control of the true Holy materia, you'll get yours. You all will. Reno, Rude, Rufus...All of you motherfuckers..._

"...Where's my PHS?"

"It's right there." Kellen pointed.

"Oh." Jessica uttered as she picked up the phone from the side of the monitor.

"Who are you calling?"

"Yuffie."

"Now? I thought we were gonna wait."

"I can't wait. I want that materia now."

--

Back in her humble bachelorette pad, Yuffie was contemplating her plan to relieve Tifa of the true Holy materia when the custom ring tone of her PHS (Ode To Joy) sounded off.

"Who the heck could _that_ be?" Yuffie asked aloud as she leapt from her computer desk to retrieve the phone from her bed.

On the LCD screed was a number she did not recognize, but that did not stop her from answering...

"Hello?"

"...Yuffie Kisaragi?"

"Umm...May I ask who this is?"

"A potential employer." said a serious sounding woman.

"Eh? An employer?"

"I have a job for you, Ms. Kisaragi."

"...Who the heck are you? How did you get my num--"

"We'll discuss that later. Listen, I need something that is currently being held by someone else. I heard you were good. I have money, and lots of it."

"Oh, ho, ho. You heard right, my friend." Yuffie responded, seamlessly shifting into business mode.

"Good. Sounds like you're my woman."

"I'll bet...But, do I even get a hint as to who _you_ are?"

"...Butter flowers." The lady replied.

"Butter flowers? What kind of hint is that?"

"The only one you get. Now, let's talk business."

"Sure thing." Yuffie agreed, dismissing the caller's hint altogether. "What, and from whom?"

"A very important artifact, Ms.Kisaragi. You ever heard of the true Holy materia?"

"...Yeah, I've heard of it." Yuffie answered, shifting uncomfortably on the edge of the bed.

"Tifa Strife has it. I want it. Twenty-thousand gil is reasonable, no?"

"...Who is this? Is this Andie?"

"No, I'm not Andie. Ms. Kisaragi, do you want the damn job or not?"

"Uh...T-Twenty-thousand, you say?"

"You're twisting my arm. Fine. Forty-thousand."

"F-Forty..."

"Okay, sixty. But that's as high as I'll go."

The sound of "sixty" almost made Yuffie faint right onto a pillow, but, she managed to keep it together somehow.

Sixty-thousand gil was a killing compared to a measly four-thousand, but, Yuffie remembered very clearly who offered the paltry sum. Krysten's words rang in her ears still, and the fear that she had instilled was quite pungent. Krysten was crystal clear that Yuffie's betrayal would not be tolerated...

_Then again, Krysten and I only made a verbal agreement. A verbal contract is not binding when no moneys have changed hands nor labors been fulfilled...Sixty-thou' beats the shit outta four any day..._

"...I'll have to think about it." was Yuffie's answer at last.

"You get one day." The woman told her in stern fashion.

"I got your number."

"I expect your answer tomorrow."

Before Yuffie could bid parting, the woman hung up.

"...Dammit." Yuffie sighed as she flopped backward onto the mattress. "...Sixty-thousand bucks, all to myself. I could do whatever I wanted with that kind of bread...But, Krysten makes a strong argument against screwing her over...then there's Tifa."

As much as she did not want to admit it to herself, Yuffie was having second thoughts about stealing Tifa's necklace. Although she was still angry with her, Yuffie really did not want to do something so deliberately mean spirited to Tifa, and to Cloud for that matter, by virtue of the necklace being his gift to his wife.

The thought of being pulled in three different directions all at once made Yuffie restless, so much that she needed to go out for a walk and a rare cigarette. Fortunately, she still had the same pack from last week.

_Cid would cuss me out for hanging on to a pack of smokes for this long. Heh heh..._

The afternoon sun was still shining down brightly as Yuffie emerged from her apartment building. Having no particular place to go in mind, she let her flip-flop clad feet drift aimlessly down the sidewalk while she casually puffed on a menthol. After several minutes of wandering, her PHS ring tone sounded off once again. This time, she recognized the number on the LCD display...

"Vinnie?" Yuffie answered, thinking it was the newest father in town.

"Nope. Guess again."

"...Andie."

"Correct. Yuffie, do you remember when I said I'd be in touch if I needed something?"

"You never said that."

"Um, I seem to recall saying maybe I'd bump into you again someday. Wink, wink."

"Ohhh, right...So, you want that favor back."

"Yes."

"Well, everybody's enlisting my services today anyway. What did you need?"

"I need to see you first. Where are you?"

"I'm actually a few blocks from your dad's."

Yuffie gave Andie her specific location, and agreed to wait there for her to arrive.

_Great...Now what?_


	30. In the doghouse

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purpose. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #31-"In the doghouse"

From her seat on a public rest bench, Yuffie spotted Andie coming her way, a few minutes after she'd agreed to meet her. Yuffie didn't mind the meeting, but she was curious as to what Andie was carrying in her arms.

"Where in the world did you get _that_?" Yuffie asked Andie as she sat beside her on a public rest bench.

"I found it...Well, it found me. I'll explain..."

--

"You're awake." Vincent noted as Andie stumbled barefoot out of his bedroom.

"Mmm-hmm..." She replied, having sobered up somewhat, but still groggy.

"You do realize what happened?"

"Yeah...I got hammered."

"I'd say so."

"I'm sorry, Pops. I got carried away and I embarrassed you in front of your friend."

Vincent held up his left hand, signaling Andie to cease.

"Rest assured , you've cast no shame unto me, Andie...I ask that you not be so reckless in the future, however."

"I won't." mumbled the daughter of Vincent.

"I'll put on a pot of coffee for you."

"No, thanks. I don't really like coffee. I just need some fresh air."

"That too is fine. I'll accompany you."

"Oh...Actually, Pops, I sorta needed some time to think..."

"I see. Then I ask that you be careful."

"You got it."

"Here, take my PHS. Use it to reach my home line if you need me."

"Pops, I'm just going for a walk."

"Take it. I insist."

"Yes, oh doting father of mine." Andie said in a sing-song manner.

--

"...Okay, so you went out for a walk. Then what?" Yuffie asked.

"I'm getting to that." Andie replied. "I went out, and I walked around for a few minutes, until I felt a little weak. I sat down on a bench..."

--

"Phew...I swear, I'm never getting that blowed again. This gal has learned her limit today..." Andie groaned as she fanned herself. "I don't see how Krysten can drink like she did and still manage to stand up straight...What are _you_ looking at?"

A stray white poodle had stopped right at Andie's feet and looked up at her quizzically.

"What? Can't a girl wallow in self-pity because of a hangover anymore? Shoo. Go on."

The dog did not move. It instead barked at the Neo-Cetra and sat on it's hind legs, panting and wagging it's tail. It was obviously enamored with Andie...

"Oh, no. Don't you look at me with those puppy dog eyes."

"Arf!"

"Stop that. Don't you have a home to go back to?"

There were no visible signs that it was a domesticated dog. It had not even a collar around it's neck.

"No tags...Just a stray trying to get by out here, eh?"

"Rrrrr." The tiny animal whimpered.

"Poor fella. All alone, nobody to care about you. That's not right. Tell ya what. I'll take you to the vet first and foremost. They'll know what to do for you..."

--

"...The vet said she wasn't sick or malnourished, but that those could be signs of proper care." Andie explained.

"In other words, someone might have lost her after all." Yuffie concluded.

"Yeah. That's where I need your help. I want to make flyers and post them around town, but I'm not too familiar with Edge. That, and I'm only one person after all."

"I get it, I get it. But, why me? Why not Vinnie?"

"Could you really picture my Pops posting flyers for a missing poodle?" Andie deadpanned.

"Umm...No, not really. Andie, I'd love to help, but I was sorta--"

"Arf!" The girl poodle interrupted.

"Excuse _you_. Like I was saying, I was sorta busy--"

"Arf! Arf!"

"Wait your turn, pooch. I was sorta busy..."

Yuffie waited a beat to see if the dog would interrupt again, but it remained silent.

"Oh, you're busy..."

"Hey, don't despair. I know just the people who can help you. Matter of fact, they'd be even more useful than me."

"Who?"

"You already know them. Marlene and Denzel."

"The children."

"Yeah. They love that kind of busywork. All you have to do is make it a game for them."

"Sounds easy enough. I'll go speak with their parents then."

"Well, you'll hafta go to Corel to talk to Marlene's father. Right now she's in Cloud & Tifa's care. They're Denzel's guardians too."

"I see..."

The last place Andie wanted to go was back to Tifa's, after making a spectacle of herself in front of the young bride. She did not want to face her again and ask the use of her young charges.

"I'll do that." Andie said half-heartedly.

"Okay. We done?"

"Yes, we're done. Thank you for meeting me."

"No worries. As for _you_, pooch, I'll see you around."

Pooch did not bark, but wagged her tail enthusiastically as it watched Yuffie walk away.

--

"Kellen, where the hell is Rikku?" Jessica called to the house from outside, where Rikku usually awaited her dinner.

"She's not out there either?" Kellen called back from the inside.

"No..."

_Dammit, Rikku. You better not have taken off...again._

Kellen ventured out to meet with Jessica, a somewhat irritated expression across his face.

"She left again." He said, to which Jessica could only sigh.

"...It never fails. We're two seconds late with dinner, and off she goes. She'll be back after she finds a sucker to take pity and feed her."

"Like clockwork. But, it's a good thing she has tags on her, just in case."

"Tags...Oh, shit." Jessica peeped.

"...I didn't like the way that 'oh, shit' sounded, Miss J." Kellen said.

"Kellen...You're gonna be major-league pissed at me. I, um, sort of neglected to put her collar back on after her bath." Jessica shamefully admitted.

Almost, if not all of the blood ran from Kellen's round, goatee-adorned face.

"You...forgot to put her collar back on?"

"I'm sorry, Kellen. I meant to , but..."

"Rikku is out there with no tags, no identification!?"

"I'm sorry, Kellen. It was a mistake, honest."

"She could be picked up by Animal Control, Jessica! Dammit!"

"I'm sorry..."

Ignoring anything more that Jessica had to say, Kellen angrily marched back into the house, presumably to grab his house keys and then leave to find his beloved poodle.

Jessica could only stand there out in the yard, on the verge of tears. It was not very often, but whenever Kellen got angry with her, he made it count. She knew that she'd be on his bad side for at least a day or two, and that was if he _found_ Rikku. If he didn't, and Animal Control did, she knew that he would be hard pressed to ever forgive her.

"Damn greedy fucker, that dog." Jessica cursed, fighting back the urge to cry. "Just like her owner, old never-late-for-a-meal Kellen...Screw this standing around. I'll find that damn dog myself, and when I do, I swear she's gonna be chained to the fence _forever_."

Although she was afraid of leaving the house alone, Jessica went back inside and prepared to leave in search of Rikku.

--

Five-thirty P.M. had come, and Krysten was in her room at the inn putting the finishing touches on her appearance. She decided to keep it casual, with loose fitting blue jeans, a white blouse beneath a new black leather jacket , and a rather costly pair of shiny black steel-toe boots.

She'd also chosen to wear her hair loose for the occasion, freeing it from the ever-present arrangement of braids atop her head. Though it was free, her hair was left curly from being braided for so long. She didn't mind at all.

_Not bad...Beats the hell out of that stupid dress I had to wear last week, not to mention those heels. If I never have to wear heels again it'll be too soon. I don't see how Andie can even walk straight in them._

The sound of her PHS drew Krysten's attention. Luckily, it was right in front of her on the dresser.

"You got Kier." Krysten answered the way she usually did, despite recognizing the number on the caller ID.

_"Yo, I thought we were on the first name basis."_

"We are. What is it, Reno?"

In the back of her mind, Krysten feared he was calling to cancel...

_"Nothin', Krysten. Just wanted to see if you were ready."_

"Well, that's not nothing."

_"Oh...Anyways, you ready?"_

"Aren't you thoughtful? Yes, I am ready." Krysten said, admiring herself in the dresser mirror. "Are _you_?"

_"Yes, ma'am. I'm on my way to get you as we speak."_

"Excellent. What do you have planned for our outing?"

_"Whatever you want, babe."_

"Come now. You're the guy, which means you are supposed to have a plan."

_"What year are _you_ livin' in, Grandma? I don't do things the old fashioned way. You make the plan."_

"You sure you're secure enough to let a girl take charge?" Krysten teased.

_"Just as long as she ain't too rough, yo."_

A chuckle escaped from Kier's mouth before she could stop it, but she found it didn't bother her.

_"Hey, I got her to laugh. How 'bout that?"_

"Shut _up_. It was a fluke." Krysten insisted, still grinning.

_"Na-uh. I'll show you. I'll have you dyin' laughin' by the time I take you home."_

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Turk."

_"Don't worry about me. Just look pretty, alright?"_

"Yeah. See you soon."

_So, he wants me to take charge. That's cool. I'll show him what I consider a good time..._

For as much as Krysten did not want to admit it, she was very much looking forward to the night ahead...


	31. Like a dog with a bone

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #32-"Like a dog with a bone"

"Rikku? Is that you?"

Jessica had spotted a small white animal in an alleyway not far from she and Kellen's home. Hoping it was the lost poodle Rikku, she approached the animal carefully.

"Rikku? That you, girl?"

Upon closer inspection, Jessica saw that it was not Rikku. It was a little white dog, but not a poodle.

"Oops. Not who I'm looking for. My bad."

Instinctively, the young survivor reached for Kellen to support her as she stood upright, and was disheartened when she came up empty. Fighting back the impulse to cry, Jessica walked away from the alley on one bad leg and sought relief from a public bench.

She'd been looking for Rikku for only fifteen minutes, but without Kellen there to help her walk, her leg was fast becoming unbearably sore. She could not go any further to look for the dog, and she began to fear she may not be able to make it back home on her own.

A wave of frustration came over Jessica as she sat on the wooden bench. She closed her eyes and let out a loud sigh, unaware of the person who had come up beside her and sat.

"What are you doing out here on your own, kid?"

Jessica opened her eyes and looked over to find none other than Cloud.

"Cloud..."

"How's it going, Jessie?"

"Don't call me that."

"Sorry. Old habit."

Not long after Jessica had recovered and was living with Kellen, Cloud came to find out that Jessica was alive. Though she swore him to secrecy at first, news of her survival eventually reached the other members of AVALANCHE, including Barret. Jessica made it clear, however, that she wanted nothing to do with her former partners, and they have respected her wishes by staying away from her...

"Hmph...Um, about not showing up for your wedding--"

"We got the flowers...We figured you weren't gonna come. The invitation was just a courtesy."

"And it was appreciated."

"Good...What are you doing out here alone? Where's Kellen?"

"Looking for his dog...I sorta forgot to put her tags back on before she wandered off, so he's trying to find her before Animal Control does. That's what I'm doing out here myself, but I'm on a bad wheel."

"Right...That's too bad."

"For me, yeah. I'm in the doghouse now."

"He won't be mad for long. He could never stay mad at his Miss J, right?"

A small grin crept onto Jessica's lips, but she quelled it quickly.

"I guess, I dunno...I do know that I can't look anymore. Cloud, will you help me back home?"

"Of course."

Cloud stood and helped his old friend to her feet. He then took hold of her arm in a way that allowed her weight to fall on to his own arm, instead of her bad leg.

"Thanks."

"It's the least I can do." Cloud replied as they walked slowly back toward her house.

"...You stink." Jessica bluntly observed.

"I do?"

"You smell like gasoline."

"Oh. I was out riding, so..."

"You couldn't go home and take a shower?"

"I'm sorta avoiding home right now."

"Eh? Don't tell me there's marital problems already."

"No...I don't know, Jessie, I mean Jessi-_ca_. We got home from our honeymoon today, and ever since then she's been acting really strange."

"Strange how?" Jessica asked, knowing all too well what Tifa's deal was.

"Just strange...But, she says it's because she's upset about our trip being over."

"You don't buy that for a second, do you?"

"Hell no..."

"Then what do you think it is?"

"You'd think I was crazy if I told you."

"No, I wouldn't."

"Let's just say you would." Cloud pleaded off.

The two former partners reached their destination, Cloud having helped Jessica up the steps to the porch. She gestured toward a swinging bench on the end, and sat down with him.

"...Thank you so much. I was really worried about how I was gonna get home."

"Anytime...I'd better stop procrastinating and go home now." Cloud said as he rose from the swing.

"You do that...Cloud?"

"Yeah?"

"Tifa's going to be just fine." Jessica assured him.

"...You sound sure of that."

"Because I am. Now run along."

"Yes, ma'am."

--

Andie had finally built up the nerve to enter the Seventh Heaven once again, this time with the little white poodle she found in tow.

"Hello again, Andie." Tifa greeted from her seat at a table, where she was taking a break from preparing the place for the next day.

"H-Hey, Tifa."

"You know, I don't see why I don't just open up for the night crowd. I left the door unlocked for Pete's sake." Tifa noted.

"Ha ha..."

"I know I wouldn't have _you_ to worry about though. You feel better?"

"Yeah." Andie said, both relieved and embarassed that Tifa had finally brought it up.

"Good. Oh, who's your little friend?" Tifa asked, finally noticing the dog in Andie's arms.

"This little thing found me earlier. I took her to the vet, and they said it's probably a house dog. That's why I'm here. I--"

"Arf!"

Before Andie could finish, the poodle had freed itself from her hold and ran to Tifa, begging for her to pick her up.

"Oh my. Hey there...Hey, wait a mintue." Tifa began. "Rikku?"

"Arf!"

"It _is_ you. What're you doing here, girl?" Tifa asked the poodle as she took her into her lap.

"You know her?"

"I certainly do. This little rascal is named Rikku. She belongs to an old friend of mine, well, by proxy at least. Rikku has a nasty little habit of running away when her owner is even a second late with her dinner. Sometimes she comes here and I give her a treat before she wanders back on home."

"Ohhh, so you know who she belongs to. That's great. You just saved me a lot of trouble." Andie said with a tone of relief.

"I'm glad I could help...I just wonder why she doesn't have on her tags. Oh, well. I'll just bring her home myself, keep her from being found by the dog catcher."

"Okay...Well, I guess this is goodbye, girl." Andie told Rikku as she leaned over and stroked her fluffy coat.

"Arf."

"She likes you." Tifa pointed out.

"She likes you too...Doesn't seem to like Yuffie though."

"You saw her?"

"Yeah, earlier."

"...Did she mention me?"

"No, not really." Andie said, deciding that what Yuffie did say about Tifa was now a moot point.

"Hmm...I'm surprised she's not mouthing off about me to the whole town."

"Why would she be?"

"We had a falling out, and it was all my fault."

"Oh...That's unfortunate."

"You know, it really is..." Tifa lamented, not seeming to notice that Rikku was batting around the materia on Tifa's necklace with her muzzle.

"Well, you guys will make up eventually." Andie said, trying to be encouraging.

"Thanks, Andie."

"Anytime. See ya."

"Later."

The Neo-Cetra showed herself out, leaving Tifa alone with Rikku, who by then was aggressively attacking the materia with her nose.

"Stop that, girl." Tifa demanded.

She tried to hold Rikku away from her, but the poodle had taken the materia into her bite and pulled it with her.

"Rikku, cut it out! What's gotten into you?"

"Grrrrr! Rrrrrr!"

Rikku was latched on so tight that Tifa honestly believed she would break the materia right off. Seeing no other option, Tifa removed the necklace in hopes of getting leverage to free it.

"Rikku, let go! Let go this instant!"

"Grrrr!"

Having no luck with her new approach, Tifa began to lose hope that her necklace would survive. That is, until she noticed the meat snack she was eating still on the table.

"Rikku, here girl!"

As anticipated, Rikku immediately surrendered th materia in favor of the beef jerky Tifa presented, devouring it right on the bar room floor.

"Shit...Dammit, Rikku."

The poor necklace was slightly mangled, but the materia had remarkably avoided so much as a scratch.

"That's it. Next time you wander off, I'm gonna chain you to the fence my damn self." Tifa grumbled as she actually put the piece of gold jewelry back around her nack, doggie drool and all.

--

Outside of the inn, Krysten finally meets Reno before their much anticipated night out...

"Whoa...Hello, gorgeous."

"Hello yourself. I knew there was something beneath that slobbish exterior." Ms. Kier bragged.

Reno was indeed admittedly handsome that evening. To compliment his new hair style, he decided on a slick looking black three piece suit with black loafers to match.

"Thanks, I guess...Ready to go, babe?"

"My name is Krysten."

"Sorry. Ready to go, Krysten?"

"Yes, I am." Krysten answered with her left hand extended.

Not missing his cue, Reno took Krysten by the hand and led her off into the night...


	32. Manifest

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

A/N: Sorry I took so long people. No excuses I offer, only story.

--

Chapter #33-"Manifest"

"Here we are, girl." Tifa told Rikku as she carried her up the stairs to the front door of Jessica's house, glad to almost be rid of her.

Tifa rang the doorbell, while keeping the poodle from nipping at the necklace once again. The door was answered a few seconds later by the lady of the house, who was instantly elated at the sight on the front porch.

"Rikku!" Jessica shrieked.

"Special delivery, no tip required." Tifa mocked her husband.

"Tifa. I should have known she'd go to your place." Jessica sighed in relief. "Thank God she didn't get picked up."

"You're not kidding. To be honest , though, she didn't come to my place on her own. Someone brought her to me after they found her on the street."

"Really? Who was it? I have to thank them."

"You wouldn't know her, seeing how she's new on the scene. Name's Andie Chiefstone."

"...Nope. Never heard of her." Jessica lied.

"Didn't think so. She's nice enough though...Here ya go."

"C'mere, you." Jessica said in a scolding tone as she reached for Rikku.

The dog recoiled from Jessica's reaching hands and defensively tucked underneath Tifa's right arm. She then barked a warning at her very co-owner to stay back.

"What the hell? Rikku, you come here this instant." Miss J. sternly ordered.

"Arf! Arf!"

By then, Rikku was growling at Miss J with bared teeth. Tifa, looking as bewildered as Jessica, could only give an apologetic shrug.

"I-I only gave her some beef jerky." Mrs. Strife said shyly.

"That's not the issue..."

_Rikku's being hostile toward me I see...Hostile toward me, while sitting in Tifa's arms...My God, don't tell me..._

Noticing Tifa's necklace was mangled, it easily added up for Jessica. Rikku was not going to be easily separated from the true Holy materia.

"Rikku, go to Jessica. Go on." Tifa ordered, growing ever more embarrassed by the moment.

"Grrrrrrr..."

"Hmm. This is quite the predicament."

"Gee, Tifa, you think?"

"Maybe if you offer her a treat."

Without hesitation, Jessica went into the kitchen and returned with a doggie treat. Being the greedy dog that she is, Rikku forgot about Tifa and turned her attention to the snack being presented her. Jessica sat it on the floor, and the poodle leaped from Tifa's arms to attack it.

"There you go. Good girl."

"...She's never done that before, barked at me. Not even when I first came to live here."

"I, um...I'm sure it's no big deal, Jessica." Tifa attempted to pacify her old friend.

"Maybe...Thanks again, Tifa. You saved my bacon for real."

"What are friends for?"

"I don't know, but Cloud basically said the same thing earlier."

"...You saw Cloud today?"

"Yeah. Apparently he went out riding...as opposed to being home with you. Troubles at home already?"

"Why would you say that?"

"Oh, I didn't mean to hit a nerve. I was just kidding."

"You shouldn't kid like that, Jessica." Tifa scolded.

"Sorry."

"Accepted...I'll be on my way now. My husband might be _home _ by now."

"Ah, ha...Thanks again, Tifa. You're a life saver."

"Don't mention it."

--

With a sweeping look of the street to make sure no one he knew saw him, Cloud pushed open the door to Westwind, the sworn rival of Seventh Heaven.

He felt like a filthy, back stabbing s.o.b. for even setting foot in the place, but the simple fact was he needed a drink and he needed it without another run-in with his wife.

_It's no big deal. I'll just have a beer and cut out, nice and easy. No small talk, just a quick beer._

The spikey haired lad self-consciously bellied up to the bar and flagged the barkeep, a sassy redhead named Brynn Lovett.

"Well, it looks like Hell's frozen over. Cloud Strife, patronizing the competition." Brynn teased as she placed herself across from him. "Living dangerously, delivery man? You know if Tifa catches you here, you're dead ass."

"Tifa wouldn't come in here if you had the last bottle of scotch on Gaia and you were giving it away." Cloud shot back.

"Like she'd get it. Ha! And why should I give _you_ anything, Spike? What? Did you come to your senses and want yourself a _real_ drink, instead of that piss water your girlfriend serves?"

"She's my wife now, Brynn. Get me a beer, would you?"

"I got your beer, Mr. _Lockheart_. Ha, ha, ha."

Brynn laughed all the way to the refrigerator, from which she grabbed two bottles of beer. As she was returning, Cloud jumped from his seat when someone slapped him hard across the back.

"Yo! Cloud, you damn dirty dog!"

"Aw, fuck..." Cloud swore under his breath as Reno and Krysten had flanked him at the bar.

"What's the matter with you, eh? Tifa's gonna kill you if she finds out you're here."

"She won't." Cloud said, his eyes hardened and boring right through Reno.

"Y-Yo, I never said I was gonna say anything. I'm your boy."

"You better keep it shut...Kier? Is that you?" Cloud asked, having noticed Reno's date.

"Hello, Cloud. Nice to see you again. It's Krysten now, by the way."

"Got it...What's going on here? You two out or something?"

"That's right, guy. Krysten could no longer resist my manly charms. She practically _begged_ me to take her out, man."

"Reno, I will give you ten seconds to withdraw that statement." Krysten practically growled.

"Come _on_, Krysten. Have a sense of humor, would ya? Yo, gimme one of those." Reno demanded.

Reno reached for one of the beer bottles Brynn had sat on the bar, but came up empty as Krysten claimed it instead.

"Hey, that was mine."

"That was me having a sense of humor, _babe_." Krysten razzed her date with a wink.

"I ain't laughin'." Reno fumed.

"Chill out, Reno. You can have the other one. I'm not in a drinking mood anymore."

"Sweet. You're alright, Spike."

"I try. Here, Brynn. Take care of the beers." Cloud asked, handing Brynn his Gold credit card.

"You got it, Soldier Boy."

"Thank you, Cloud." said Krysten.

"No problem. I just wanna know how the heck you two ended up on a date. What, you got something on her Reno?"

"Nah, nothin' like that. Alls I had to do was ask."

"You never just 'ask' for anything."

"I _did_ just ask. Didn't I, Krysten?"

"Well...Details aside, you did ask in a pretty straightforward way."

"See there? I ain't got nothin' on her either...Hopefully I will later on tonight, but uh, that's a private matter you see. Heh heh."

"Dude, you're charming her socks off. Really."

"Not." Krysten cut in with no regard for Cloud's sarcasm.

"We'll see about socks comin' off later on, babe."

"Brynn, could you hurry it up? I need to get away from a certain frat boy." Cloud complained.

Brynn returned with Cloud's card and a puzzled expression across her freckled face.

"Cloud, you wanna tell me why your card is bein' declined?" she asked, handing him back the invalid piece of plastic.

"Declined? What do you mean declined?"

"I mean it-won't-accept-your-card-as-a-valid-form-of-payment-declined. You tryin' to run a scam on me, Strife?"

"What? No! Look, I don't know why it won't take my card. I made the payment on it before the wedding."

"Yo, don't you have Tifa do the bills?" Reno observed.

"Yeah, mostly...She remembered to pay the credit card, though..."

"Or did she?" Brynn asked, actually more sympathetic than angry.

"Yes, she did. Tifa never forgets the bills...You know what, fuck it. Here."

The disgruntled delivery man unearthed twenty gil and handed it to Brynn. He then took his leave without even bothering to wait for the change.

"Oh, shit. There's gonna be a lovers' quarrel tonight, yo."

"Reno, how can you say that?"

Krysten tried to admonish Reno, but she too could sense the anger coming from Cloud...

--

"Tifa?" Cloud called out with urgency when he'd gotten home to the apartment above Seventh Heaven.

"Cloud, I'm in here." Tifa called back from the tiny kitchen.

Cloud marched directly to where his wife was and stood in the doorway, arms folded.

"Tifa, did you pay my credit card week before last?" he asked right out with no warning.

Tifa turned from the sink where she'd been washing the dishes from the kids' dinner.

"Yes, I did. Why?"

"Because, I got declined when I tried to use it just now."

"What? Oh my God, how could that be? I paid it fair and square, just like I always do."

"Well, unless Brynn was doing it wrong then..."

As quickly as Cloud spoke the name Brynn was as quickly that he wished he could disappear into thin air.

"...Brynn? Did you say Brynn? Brynn _who_?"

"...Um...This new girl at the, um, the--"

"It was Brynn Lovett, wasn't it? You were at fucking Westwind, weren't you?"

"...I just wanted a quick beer, and--"

"I have plenty of beer at _my_ bar!" Tifa snapped

"Tifa, it's not like that."

Cloud was trying to back down and gain control of the situation, but Tifa was absolutely livid.

"What isn't it like!? First you take off to go ride your precious bike instead of spend our first day home together! Then you go paling around with Jessica doing God-knows-what, and then you finish the day by going to the _Westwind_!?"

"Tifa, the kids can hear you! Shut up!" Cloud hissed.

"Shut up? So now I'm beneath you? You tell a _dog_ to shut up, not your wife. I'm just a dog to you, huh?"

In an extremely disturbing turn of events, Tifa began weeping and shaking as if she'd been locked in a freezer. It was enough for Cloud to keep to his word about the necklace, for in an instant he lunged for the cursed accessory and...

"Ow!"

...was met with the most violent, flesh-tearing bite he'd ever known!

The poor ex-Soldier doubled over in sheer pain, clutching his bleeding hand. Tifa stood over him, his blood dripping from her mouth. As Cloud looked up at his wife, he was met with a terrifying sight. Not of his own blood running from her lips, but the radiant white glow of the materia dangling from the necklace. That, and the complete loss of expression in Tifa's eyes...

"Tifa?"

"..."

She no longer wept. She did nothing, not even when the children had come to examine the racket.

"What the heck's going on, you two?" Denzel asked, sub-consciously holding his best friend Marlene back from the scene.

"Denzel, take Marlene to Yuffie's. Right now." Cloud ordered, masking the fear in his voice.

"But it's dark out."

"It'll be okay. She's just down the street. Go."

"...Yes, Cloud."

The two children made a hasty exit without any further questions. By then Tifa had dropped to her knees, although her eyes remained dull and lifeless, as if the materia had sucked all the life right out of her...


	33. Run child, run

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

--

Chapter #34-"Run child, run"

Yuffie was sitting before her computer monitor, aimlessly wandering through cyber space when there was an urgent rapping at her door.

"Huh? Who the hell could that be at this hour?" she wondered aloud as she stood up from the desk in her bedroom.

The young woman padded barefoot through the living room to the front door, and was shocked to find two terrified looking children waiting in the hallway.

"Denzel? Marlene? What on Gaia are you two doing here?"

"Cloud ordered us to come over here, Yuffie! Something's wrong with Tifa and Cloud didn't want us in the way!" Denzel hastily explained.

"What? Something's wrong with Tifa? " Yuffie repeated in question form as she shepherded the kids inside her apartment. "What's wrong with her?"

"She was screaming and cussing at Cloud, then she bit him!" Marlene told.

"_Bit him_!?"

"We didn't see it good, but it looked like she bit him. He screamed really loud too."

"Oh my God. But, why?"

"He was just reaching out to hug her and she bit him."

"What? Hug her?"

"I don't know, I guess he was trying to hug her. He was reaching out to her, and she bit him bad. That's all we saw."

"We're scared, Yuffie." Marlene whined, on the verge of tears.

"Okay, guys. Just chill out..."

Resisting the urge to swear for the sake of the childrens' ears, Yuffie located her well-worn pink flip flops and slid her feet into them.

"Listen, I'm gonna go over there and see what's going on. You'll be okay by yourselves for a second, won't you?"

"We were gonna ask you to go anyway, Yuffie." said Denzel.

"Oh. Then, I'll go. Put the television on whatever you like. I'll only be a second."

In a hurry, Yuffie left out the front door and triple locked it from the outside. She then made her way to the Seventh Heaven down the street, hoping there was not too much damage to be controlled.

_Shit, shit, shit! I'll bet anything that goddamned materia is at the bottom of this! Now Tifa's gone plum mad! Cloud, you stupid idiot! Why did you try to take it off her!?_

Though she was traveling down the sidewalk as fast as she could, the distance between her home and Tifa's seemed greater than it ever had. Yuffie finally made it to the back entrance of Tifa's building and hesitated when she noticed the door was left flung open. She cautiously stepped inside of the stairwell, and was horrified to find a trail of fresh blood along the handrail. Yuffie followed the blood trail from the rail down to the floor, and jumped back a few inches when she saw she'd almost stepped in it.

"Oh my Gawd. What the hell is going _on_ here?"

An overpowering fear was starting to take hold of the young lady, and it was with great resolve that she fought it back. Yuffie raced up the stairs on the off chance that Cloud and Tifa were there, but when she entered through the open door to the apartment, there was no one or nothing to be found, except for a very disturbing image...

"Oh, God...Urk!"

The sight of blood spilled seemingly all over the apartment almost overwhelmed Yuffie's gag reflex, but she fought it back mightily.

"By Leviathan. Denzel said Tifa bit him, but human bite wounds don't draw _this_ much blood. Not unless she managed to puncture...Oh, no!"

Without a moment's hesitation, Yuffie tore back down the stairs and followed the trail of blood back outside. Only moments later, she found the end of the trail in an alley twenty feet from Seventh Heaven, and fell to her bare knees in horror...

--

"I'm sorry, Pops, but _that_ movie was boring." Andie complained.

"Hmph. It happens to be considered a classic." Vincent retorted.

"You should know. You probably saw it's original screening." Andie snorted under her breath.

"I beg your pardon."

"O-Oh, nothing Pops. Ha ha."

He and Andie decided to rent a few movies and spend the evening in. It had been going well, except for Vincent's worrying over Krysten.

"Which one should we watch now?"

"It does not matter to me."

"Okay. I'll put in _this_ one."

Just as Andie picked up the DVD case containing the feature film version of "Loveless", the sound of Vincent's home phone ringing broke up the relative silence.

"Oh, my. Who could that be?"

"If it is your sister, please remind her--"

"Pops, I highly doubt it's Krysten." Andie interrupted, with a hint of impatience in her voice.

"...It could be."

"It's not. It's...Yuffie Kisaragi?"

"Yuffie?"

"...Hello? Whoa, wait a second! Calm down, Yuffie! What...Huh...Oh my God...Oh my God! Are you serious!? Oh, no...Oh, sweet mother of Gaia...Okay, okay. I'll tell him...I can do that too...Sure thing. Where do you stay?...Okay, I can remember that...Keep in touch."

Andie gently placed the phone back onto it's cradle and slowly sat back down beside her dad.

"Oh, dear. Pops, something terrible has happened. it would seem that the true Holy materia has manifested inside of Tifa."

"How do you assume?"

"Well..."

From what Yuffie told her, Andie explained the happenings of the last hour to Vincent.

"...This is most unsettling."

"Gee, Pops, you _think_? Poor Cloud..."

"What force could she have bitten him with to cause him to bleed out?"

"An unimaginable force, or power."

"Is that the potential of the true Holy materia, Andie?"

"I guess. Krysten knows more about that than I do...I hate to ruin her date, but everything has just changed."

"She will understand."

"Right...Pops, Yuffie asked if I'd go to her place to sit with the kids while she takes Cloud to the hospital. Then she wants you and the others to go out looking for Tifa."

"Done. I will make the necessary calls."

"She couldn't have gotten far on foot, right?" Andie asked as she put her feet into those white heels of hers.

"No." Vincent replied en route to the coat closet.

--

Upon deciding to escape the growing crowd and noise of Westwind, Reno and Krysten wind up taking a nighttime walk inside the park located near the center of town. To her surprise, Krysten was impressed by Reno's behavior, he being an almost perfect gentleman the entire night. She was also surprised that she was actually having a good time on what she wrote off as a mercy date.

"I hate to admit it, but..."

"Go on and spill it, babe. You know you want to."

"Don't call me that."

"Sorry. But, what were you sayin'?"

"Um...I hate to admit it, but, I had a nice time tonight." Krysten finally confessed, blushing from ear to ear.

"Sweet...Guess I'm not a bad guy after all, yeah?"

"No, you're okay."

"That goes for you too, yo. To tell you the truth, I was nervous that I was gonna make a fool outta myself tonight."

"So was I. Ha ha ha."

"Yo, that's the first time I heard you laugh."

"...Well, it's the first time _I_ heard me laugh in a long time."

"You should do it more often."

"If I had more reason to, I would...Reno?"

The redhead stopped short, and observed something off in the far.

"The heck? Yo, is that Tifa?"

"Where?"

"There."

Tifa was ambling toward the two of them, looking dazed and confused. Her mouth and clothes were stained with blood, and a tiny white light radiated from her cleavage.

"Teef?" Reno called as he tried to approach his friend.

"No!" Krysten cried as she grabbed and pulled him back. "Don't go near her!"

"What!? Why not!?"

"Shit on it all! It wasn't supposed to happen this soon! Dammit!"

"What wasn't!? What the hell's goin' on here!?" A confused and increasingly agitated Reno asked.

Before Krysten could even begin to explain, Tifa had reached them...


	34. Losing Tifa

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

A/N: This story's one year running? For real though?

----

Chapter #35-"Losing Tifa"

Fresh from receiving his own sling and bandages, Reno peeks into the exam room where Krysten had been patched up. The two of them were the latest victims of Tifa's rampage, both suffering a sound beating from her and landing in the hospital...

"Yo."

"..."

"You okay?"

"No..."

"...She was never that vicious back in the day, and I should know."

"..."

"Krysten? You're not about to cry, are you?"

Reno hadn't even finished the sentence when a tear fell from Krysten's right eye and landed on the examination table that she perched upon.

"I blew it..." she silently wept. "I should have taken that materia by force and said to hell with it. Now it's too late...Everything's up in smoke, and it's all my fault."

"'Ey, don't do that to yourself, kid." Reno said in an attempt to console the Neo-Cetra. "Look, nothing's gonna change by beatin' yourself up. Besides, Tifa already beat us up just fine."

"...She was so powerful, superhuman almost. The power of the True Holy materia is more potent than I had ever imagined."

"Hey, what does this mean? Is Tifa some sort of godlike being now, like Sephiroth or somethin'?"

"I don't know...Reno, I don't know _what _she is, or even what comes next. I wasn't anticipating this...I knew that the materia would consume a normal human being but, I didn't think it would be so soon. I thought I had time."

"Yeah, well...Scoot over, would ya?"

Krysten made room as Reno hopped upon the exam table to sit next to her, and didn't protest when he placed his arm around her.

"Yo, your old man was one of the best when he was a Turk. You're his kid, so you'll think of somethin'."

"Pops...Aw, Pops is going to be so upset about this." Krysten agonized.

"He ain't gonna be happy that I let you get hurt. I'm afraid for my life." Reno joked.

"Oh, stop it. You did not let me get hurt."

"Try tellin' that to an overprotective dad."

"Stop it." Krysten half-chuckled as she rested her head on Reno's shoulder.

Reno considered taking Krysten's hand with his free hand, but decided against it.

"Your nice new suit. It's ruined."

"Yeah, I know. Cloud owes me a new one. Where is that jerk anyway, and why is he lettin' his wife run buck wild?"

"That jerk is fighting for his life right now, you asshole." A sobbing voice choked out.

"Yuffie?"

Neither Reno or Krysten had noticed Yuffie standing in the doorway, looking lost and inconsolable.

"Fighting for his life?"

"...Okay, maybe not fighting for his life, but he's here and he's hurt really bad. Krysten, Tifa is out of control. She...she bit him on the wrist so badly that she severed an artery."

"Get the fuck out." Reno said.

"Oh my God...She actually managed to penetrate down to the artery with her _teeth_?"

"Yes, apparently." Yuffie replied, visibly shaken by the very idea. "Lucky for him I found him when I did. He was barely awake."

"My God. Why would Tifa do that to her own husband? What happened?"

"Apparently, he put his hand where it shouldn't have gone...Hey, just what the heck are you two doing here anyway?"

"Tifa beat our asses." Reno said.

"Rather convincingly." Krysten added, rubbing her head for emphasis.

"Wait, you saw her!? Where!?"

"The park. We were takin' a walk and I saw her...then next thing we knew she was wailin' on us like we stole somethin', yo."

"Can I guess why?"

"No need, Yuffie. I tried to convince her to give me the true Holy materia, and it set her off." Krysten explained.

"Oh, Gawd...I know it sounds insensitive, but did she say where she was going after she beat you?"

"No such luck."

"Damn...This is terrible. This is pure, unadulterated _terrible_ with a capital terrible."

"You ain't kiddin'."

"Yuffie, what's the word on Cloud anyway?" Krysten asked.

"He's in bad shape. By the time I found him he'd lost a lot of blood. For some reason his artery didn't try very hard to constrict itself, so the blood didn't slow by much. Plus, the idiot didn't even try to suppress the wound. He just took off after Tifa. Didn't make it far, though. I found him in an alley a few feet from the bar, halfway conscious."

"Heh. Sounds like me on payday." Reno cracked, to no one's amusement.

"Reno, now seriously isn't the time for funny." Yuffie groaned.

"Hey, just tryin' to lighten things up, ladies. Sorry...Look, I'm concerned too. Cloud and Tifa are my peeps, you know that."

"Then I guess you'll help look for Tifa then?"

"You bet I will, baby girl."

"We don't have a choice. Tifa is now a danger to anybody walking the streets. My God, if she can pummel Reno and I like it's nothing ,then the average person doesn't stand a chance."

"Um, I hate to ask you to relive it, but just what made Tifa haul off and pound you two anyway? I know you said you tried to convince her to give you the materia, but what happened exactly?"

"Well..."

_"Just what the hell's goin' on here!?"_

_"It's consuming her!"_

_"...K-Krysten."_

_"Tifa, listen to me! You have to give me that materia around your neck right now! Give it to me before it's too late! Quickly!"_

_"No..."_

_"You don't understand! Please just hear me out--"_

_"I said no!"_

"...The next thing I knew, I was on the ground with a loud ringing in my ear. Reno came crashing down right next to me only a second later."

"Then she started beatin' the bejesus outta us."

"Oh my God...Didn't you at least try to fight back?"

"Fight back? There was barely enough time to curl into the fetal position. Besides, I am not much of a fighter. I can take a beating, but I can't really dish it out without my gun."

Reno instinctively took and gently squeezed Krysten's hand upon hearing that.

"Aww...Don't worry about it, Krysten. Even _I_ can't fight Tifa toe-to-toe. Not a lot of people can." Yuffie admitted.

"Therein lies the problem. Like I said, the average person is done for if they cross that woman's path. That's why we have to find her immediately."

"It's already taken care of. Your dad's rounding up the gang. I also asked your sister to mind the kids for me so I can stay with Cloud."

"That was smart, Yuff. You know what, I'll get the crew in on this too." Reno said as he unearthed his cell phone, presumably to contact his Turks partners.

"...Krysten, none of this is your fault." Yuffie said, having noticed her friend hanging her head.

"I'm trying to believe that."

"You're only human, Krysten...No, wait. You're not human, are you?

"No, I'm not." Krysten replied, grinning in spite of herself.

"Well then, I should say nobody's perfect."

"I get the message, Yuffie. Thank you."

----

Shera sits alone in the living room with the television on, awaiting any word from Cid. He, at Vincent's call, took off to search for Tifa along with Red. After having fought off sleep as best as she could, Shera was relieved when the telephone on the end table beside the sofa sounded.

"Cid?" Shera hastily answered.

"Dammit, Shera. What do I tell ya about answerin' the phone like that? What if it wasn't me, eh? You'd feel pretty dumb, wouldn't ya?"

"Whatever, _Dad_." Shera sassed. "Have you guys found Tifa yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Then what the hell are you calling here for?"

"To check on you, what else? You got the doors and windows locked, right?"

"Yes, Cid. They're still locked from when you locked them."

"You got the shotgun?"

"Cid, I will not shoot Tifa."

"I ain't say to shoot her, woman. Just keep her off of ya."

"I'm not using any gun on my friend, you brute. That's the problem with you, you ham fister. Mister Overkill. Like why you had to take the Tiny Bronco just to search the town for Tifa."

"What? You dingbat, I didn't take the Bronco. What's the matter with ya?"

"Cid, I heard the Bronco start up and take off out back."

"Shera, don't talk crazy. I didn't take the damn plane."

"...Cid, I herd that plane start up and take off. I swear to God. How could that plane leave without you in it?"

"...Shera, you better be bullshittin' me."

"I'm not! That plane took off, I swear on our baby!"

"Aw, sweet Jesus! The last thing I need right now is gotdamn hijackers takin' my plane! Did you not look out the window and see it was not _me_ flyin' the gotdamn thing!?"

"Don't put this on me, you big ape!"

"Fine! I'll put it on those lousy sky pirates, that's what I'll do! Just as soon as we find Cloud's wife, I'm gonna hunt those bastards down and...Hey, wait a damn minute. The Bronco was locked up in the hangar. Shera, somebody would've had to make a whole heap of noise gettin' in there without the key to the door. You didn't hear anything like that?"

"Umm...N-No, I didn't. All I heard was the plane. I didn't hear anything like someone trying to enter the hangar forcefully."

"Holy shit. Shera, don't move. I'm comin' back. Get the shotgun, woman."

Shera reached over to the coffee table and took hold of Cid's 12 gauge pump action shotgun, and held it just like her husband taught her.


	35. The drawback of knowledge

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

----

Chapter #36-"The drawback of knowledge"

Cid has returned to his home after learning that someone made off with Tiny Bronco, the biplane that he singlehandedly restored after the Meteor incident. With Shera right behind him and armed with a shotgun, he is angered to find the hangar door all the way opened. Shera is frightened that there were no tell tale signs of forced entry, with the door looking as if it had been opened as effortlessly as with a key...

"What the fuck? No wonder ya didn't hear anything, Sher. They just let themselves right on in."

"But _how_? Didn't you lock the door, Cid?"

"Of course I locked the fucking door, you dumbass!"

"Don't get pissy at _me_, Highwind! Settle down!"

"How the fuck am I supposed to settle down, huh!? Some asshole just made off with my plane! And what's worse, the son of a bitch just opens up the hangar without breakin' a sweat! Who the fuck could've done that, huh!?"

"Stop yelling, Cid. You're upsetting the baby." Shera pleaded, rubbing her still-flat stomach.

"It's gonna hafta get used to it sometime, woman!"

"I said quiet!"

"Yeah, yeah." Cid grumbled.

The furious pilot withdrew a cigarette from his pocket and lit up, while Shera carefully placed the shotgun on a wooden crate beside the hangar.

"You're going to die from smoking those one of these days, Cid." Shera scolded.

"Not if you don't nag me to death first. Shaddup so I can think, will ya? Now, who could've done it? Who's that good to pick the lock off the hangar, hotwire the Bronco, and fly away unhindered?"

"And why?" Shera added.

"Ha. It sure ain't for parts. Can't nothing inside that plane sell on the black market. Believe me, I looked."

"Cid, you looked on the black market!?"

"I'm kiddin', Sher. Relax, woman. You know I don't mess with that shit."

"What kind of lessons will you teach our child, I'm afraid to ask."

"Don't get yer bloomers in a knot, Shera. Help me look for a clue or somethin'."

"Oh, shoot. I left my magnifying glass and corncob pipe in the house."

"Dammit, stop crackin' wise and help me look around."

"Yes, _Dad._"

The spouses Highwind began milling about the hangar in search of anything that could give them an idea of who the plane thief was, and turned up nothing of suspicion. That is, until Shera spotted a long strand of blonde hair lying on the floor...

"Cid, look."

"Eh? What is that, a hair?"

"Yes, it seems to be hair. Blonde...Too long to be _yours_, though." Mrs. Highwind ribbed her husband.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that malarky, you...So, we got a blonde hair. Who has long, blonde hair that we know?"

"Cloud, but we know where _he_ is...Who else?"

"Hmm...Long blonde hair, stole my plane..."

Suddenly, an epiphany jolted the old pilot, making his eyes widen with understanding.

"It was Krysten Kier." He blurted.

"Krysten Kier? Vincent's daughter?"

"Yeah! Think about it. She demanded I take her around on the big bird lookin' for that damn Holy materia--"

"Don't say 'damn Holy'. You_ want _to be struck down?"

"For once in your life would you shut the hell up and listen? Like I was sayin', that girl never got the chance to go lookin' for the materia. So, she got wind that Tifa bolted with it tonight, and she took the Bronco to hunt her down. There you have it."

"Cid, that is the stupidest piece of bullshit I have ever heard."

"You're just pissy 'cause it makes sense and _you_ didn't think of it. So, that bitchy kid of Vince's is a lousy sky pirate. That damn freakshow can't learn his kids one damn thing. That's okay, cause I got a little somethin' for that girl."

"Oh, God. Don't tell me you installed a remote tracking device on the Bronco."

"Hell no. I installed a remote _bomb_."

"Cid, you didn't install a bomb on that ratty ass plane."

"Yeah, but I wish I did."

"So you could kill Vincent's daughter, earn his vengeance, and go to prison. You're a hoot, Cid. Now, what are you _really_ going to do?"

"Oh, so you believe me now eh?"

"I hate to admit you have deductionary skills, but it does make sense."

"Ha! Hey, wait a minute!"

"Just enjoy the moment, old man."

"You make me sick, woman. Now, I'll tell you what I'll do about this. I'm callin' her daddy and giving him a new kinda hell."

----

"Pops, I'm fine. Really." Krysten insisted for what seemed like the one-hundredth time.

"Hmph. A black eye is not my definition of fine." Vincent grumbled.

The dreaded time had come for Krysten to call her father and report her brutal encounter with Tifa. With Red's blessing, Vincent left the search for Tifa to be by his daughter's side at the hospital, and since arriving he has not stopped doting over her.

"It's not my first beat down, Pops. I'll live."

"That woman...She has crossed a line and there is no going back."

"Pops, that woman is your friend. Her name is Tifa, and she's not in her right mind. She's afflicted by the true Holy materia."

"...I'm aware of that. "

"Then cut her some slack, yo." Reno said from the other side of the exam room.

"...Very well. I will punish _you_ instead. After all, you did a poor job of protecting my daughter."

"See, babe? I _told_ you your old man was gonna pin this on me." Reno said, almost braggingly.

"Do not refer to my daughter as 'babe'. And what do you know of how I would handle things?"

"Hey, you ain't the first father I've ever had to deal with."

"What is that supposed to mean? Are you seeing other women beside my daughter?"

"Not that it's any of your business, old man, but no. I'm with Krysten."

"Wh-what?" Krysten almost yelled

"You heard me. You and me, we're solid."

"Are you implying that I'm your _girlfriend_?"

"Hey, why not? The couple that gets beat up together, right?"

Krysten slipped and allowed a giggle to pass, but straightened up and fixed Reno with a stern glare.

"Look, I am not your girlfriend. I barely even like you."

"Oh, you admit you like me then. Heh."

"Heh? What's heh? Don't you get all smug, Reno. You're still on a short leash."

"Okay, okay. Don't yank me, babe."

"Don't get carried away, and you'll be alright."

Vincent, having already grown weary of the blossoming chemistry between Reno and Krysten, quietly excused himself when his cell phone alerted him to an incoming call. He saw on the LCD screen that the caller was Cid...

"Cid? What is it? Have you determined who stole your airplane?"

_"Ya damn right I found out who did it! It was your kid!"_

"...I beg your pardon."

_"Krysten! She left behind a strand of hair in the hangar! Yer kid stole my plane--"_

"She did no such thing. It is impossible."

_"Don't go stickin' up for the gal now, buddy! You--"_

"Cid, Krysten is not the culprit. I know this for a fact."

_"Oh yeah!? How the fuck do you know!?"_

"Because she and Reno are in the hospital as we speak. She called me shortly after you left the search party. My daughter and Reno were beaten up by none other than Tifa."

_"...Get outta here. You serious?"_

"I am afraid so."

_"Damn...You mean to tell me they actually came across Tifa, and she kicked their asses?"_

"That is exactly what happened. Krysten is not your thief. She is here."

_"Well, ain't that a bitch? Now I'm back to square one...Ah, screw that. Is the girl okay?"_

"Aside from a black eye, she seems in order. Though she may be developing a much more annoying affliction in the form of Reno."

_"Don't worry about that jackass. She'll come to her senses soon enough. Listen, did your girl know where Tifa was goin'?"_

"No, unfortunately...Though they _were_ not very far from your home when they encountered Tifa. They were in the park a few hundred yards from your house."

_"Ya don't say?"_

"I do. As to where Tifa could have gone from there, no one knows."

_"Yeah, yeah...Say, lemme call you back. I just got this crazy ass idea."_

"Then you should--"

Before Vincent could emplore Cid to share his "idea", he was met with dead silence on the other end...

----

"...It wasn't Vincent's kid." Cid told Shera, who had taken a seat on an empty wooden crate inside the hangar.

"I got that much out of it. Do tell, what is this crazy ass idea of yours?"

"I'm gettin' to that. It turns out that Krysten came across Tifa and got beat up in the park."

"I heard all that, Cid. Get on with it."

"Don't ya have any appreciation for a buildup, woman?"

"No."

"You little... Alright. The way I see it, Tifa beat up Krysten, and in the process got some of the girl's hair on herself. Then Tifa came here and took the plane. There, ya happy?"

"Um...That would make sense, except that, oh I don't know, _Tifa doesn't know how to fly_."

"Course she does. I taught her, remember?"

Several months ago, Tifa begged Cid to teach her to fly, saying that it was something she had always wanted to learn. After several no's and Hell no's, Cid finally gave in and taught her how to fly the Tiny Bronco, a fact that was now coming back to bite him from behind...

"Oh, shit...You _did_ teach her to fly...Oh my God. You gave her a key to the hangar and the plane, didn't you?"

"No, but I'll bet my last smoke she managed to find the spare set."

"You kept the spares out _here_?"

"Yeah...I was gonna move 'em, but..."

"You bloomin' moron."

"Yeah, yeah. It wasn't the smartest thing...Look, at least we know it _was_ her."

"Life's small victories. Now what, oh great and wise teacher?"

Cid did not respond, instead taking out another cigarette and lighting it up.

"...What do you think, Sher?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. You're the brains of this outfit, obviously. You tell me, where the hell did Tifa go in my plane?"

"Um, I don't know...She could be headed anywhere...Nibelheim?"

"That's as good a place to start as any."

"We're going then?"

"Ain't no _we_. You're stayin' here in case she comes back."

"Oh. That's a good idea."

"I'm gonna go fire up the big bird. You get on the horn and spread the word."

"Roger."


	36. Night & Damsels

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

----

Chapter #37-"Night & Damsels"

"Oh, oh. Don't move so fast." Yuffie discouraged Cloud, who was trying to sit upright in his hospital bed. "Take it easy, big guy."

"Where's Tifa?" Cloud grunted through extreme discomfort.

"Cloud, you need to relax. You lost a _lot_ of blood you know."

"Fuck that. Where is my wife?"

"Uh..."

Naturally, Yuffie was hesitant to tell Cloud the truth, that being Tifa had stolen Cid's biplane and headed God-knows-where, after savagely beating Krysten and Reno.

"Tifa's okay, Cloud. She's fine." Yuffie plainly fibbed.

"Where is she then? I want my wife, now."

Yuffie noticed that Cloud was not at all in touch with his senses. His words were slightly slurred and his glowing eyes seemed unable to focus on anything.

"Cloud, you have to stop. You have lost a great deal of blood and you barely survived." Yuffie pleaded, trying with all of her might not to cry at the despair of it all.

"Leave me alone."

Cloud feebly pushed Yuffie aside and made an attempt to stand up, only to fall right into Yuffie's arms.

"Dammit, Cloud!" Yuffie shrieked as she strained to support the man.

"Tifa...I have to find Tifa."

"You can't even stand up, you doofus! Stop trying to be Mister Super Soldier!"

"Please, Yuffie..."

"For the love of Leviathan, will you stop making things worse?" Yuffie pleaded as she set Cloud onto the bed once again.

"I'm gonna raise hell if someone doesn't tell me where my wife is."

"You can't even raise your arms...Cloud, I know I can't say don't worry, but you have to settle down."

"What do you want me to do, Yuffie? Sit here and wait for somebody to tell me my wife is dead?"

"She's not dead, Cloud--"

"Not _now_. She's out there somewhere all alone...She just ran off without a word and she could be in real danger. Why can't you get that? She needs me. I have to find her before it's too late. I can't let her die by doing nothing. I can't..."

"...This is different than that, Spike. What happened with Aeris was different."

"What do you know? Huh? You weren't even in the group for three seconds when Aeris died, you little..."

"Go ahead, Cloud. Say it. You little bitch."

"Yuffie, you know that's not what I meant."

"...You're right about one thing. I _wasn't_ in the gang long when Aeris died. Doesn't mean I didn't care. It also doesn't mean that I don't have the right to speak on it."

Cloud had lost the ability to focus on Yuffie any longer and let his head turn away from her.

"...It wasn't supposed to be like this...It's all my fault. I bought her that goddamned necklace to begin with."

"You can't do that to yourself, Cloud. How in the world were you supposed to know?"

"That doesn't change anything...It's all my fault, as usual...Even when I get the girl, I fuck it up somehow. Story of my fucked up life..."

"Are you done with your little pity party?"

"..."

"Good. Because if anybody hates a pity party, it's _me_."

The inside joke was not lost on Cloud, as he afforded Yuffie a tiny smirk.

"There you go, Spike. Chin up. Everything's gonna be alright. We'll find Tifa and get to the bottom of her deal, then we'll get back to life as usual. The crew's working hard right as we speak. I'd be out there too, but I'm with you."

"Don't worry about me. Go help them."

"They'll manage without little ol' me."

"...Oh, shit. Where are the kids?" Cloud asked as he sat up.

"Don't worry. I called in a favor from a friend. They're taken care of."

"Friend? You don't have any friends besides us."

"I do too."

"Oh yeah? Who is this imaginary friend?"

"She's _real_, jerkface. I suppose you've heard by now about Andie Chiefstone, right?"

"The girl who looks like Aeris. Heard about her and seen her."

"Did you know she's Vincent's daughter?"

"...Wow. Just when you think you know a guy."

"I'll say. Anyways, I asked her to watch the kids for me. She was really understanding about the whole thing."

"Sounds like her sister..."

"...Cloud, it doesn't freak you out that there's a woman who looks like Aeris running around, does it?"

"No...I get that Andie's not her. I don't have any hangups there."

"She is nice though. More feisty than our girl ever was."

"Feisty?"

"Yeah. She's got a little temper about her."

"Hey, Aeris was no pushover mind you."

"I know, but Andie's something else entirely."

"I'll take your word for it..."

Cloud could no longer manage to stay with Yuffie and drifted off to sleep once again.

"...It's gonna be alright, Spike." Yuffie whispered before giving Cloud a small peck on the cheek.

----

After having sat patiently with them for three hours since being asked to, Andie was relieved when Marlene and Denzel both drifted off to sleep on Yuffie's sofa and loveseat, respectively. She could now turn the television to something more grown up and wait for word from someone about what was going on.

However, a demanding knock on the door would disturb Andie's new found quiet time...

"Who the heck could that be?" Andie wondered as she padded barefoot to the door.

When she opened it, Andie leaped approximately two feet backward from the massive, intimidating figure on the other side!

"Hmph. You must be that Aeris girl they keep talkin' about." Barret greeted in what was a polite manner for him.

"Ah...Uh, y-yeah. that's me. From what I've heard about you, you must be Marlene's dad."

"Yeah, that's me. Barret."

"I'm Andie. Pleased to meet you, sir."

"I ain't no sir. Jus' Barret is good."

"...Daddy?" Marlene yawned, having immediately sensed her father's presence in her sleep.

"'Ey, baby girl."

"Daddy! It's really you!"

Now wide awake, Marlene made a beeline toward Barret's waiting arms and wrapped her own around his massive waist.

"Daddy, it's terrible! Tifa's gone and Cloud's hurt really bad!" The little girl sobbed.

"I know, baby girl. That's why I'm here...Look here, Andie. I ain't come to visit or nothin'. I'm here to find Tifa and then kill that foo' Cloud. I'm gonna need ya' to look after the kids for a little bit longer."

"I'd be happy too sir, I mean, Barret. They're perfect little angels."

"Marlene, don't give Andie a hard time, you hear? Daddy's gotta handle somethin'."

"But you just got here!"

"I know baby girl. I just came to say I love you. What I'm about to do to Cloud, I may not see ya again for a while."

"But Daddy--"

"You be good. I love ya."

"...I love you too."

"...Now, lemme go get that damn girl and then I'll handle that damn spikey headed idiot."

"Yes, daddy."

With no more talk, Barret exited the same way he came.

"...That was your dad?"

"Yes. I'm adopted." Marlene replied with the same answer she had ready for those curious about how Barret could be her father.

"Is that so? That means we have something in common."

"Yuffie said that."

"Then Yuffie's right."

"For a change."

"Ha, ha, ha. That wasn't nice, Marlene."

"Bah."

"Oh, don't be like that."

Andie could only smile at having finally discovered a common ground with Marlene, although she could not erase her father's words from her mind.

_Barret seems pretty pissed at Cloud. My senses tell me he's very protective of Tifa. Like a daughter in fact...Poor Cloud. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right about now..._

_­----_

""Here we are, madame." Reno announced as he and Krysten arrived outside of her inn.

"So we are..."

"End of the best date ever, yo."

"Ha. I didn't know good ates entailed violence, hospitals, and begging doctors not to get the police involved."

"Then you never been out with _me._..In all seriousness though, I'm sorry our time got ruined like that."

"Reno, it's not your fault...For what it's worth, I had a much better time than I ever thought I would."

"You mean a much better time with _me_."

"But it's true."

"Heh..."

"Good night, Reno."

"Night, Krysten...Hey, keep me posted if your old man tells you anything about Tifa."

"I will do that."

"Cool...Good night."

"Good night, Reno."


	37. Most cherished possession

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

----

Chapter #38-"Most cherished possession"

_What have I done? What have I done, what have I done, what have I done...My God, what have I done? What's happening to me? Why...Oh my God. Cloud must think I've gone batshit insane...I can't blame him. I _am_ going batshit insane..._

Somewhere on a deserted beach, a young bride ensnared by an awesome power sits and weeps, grief stricken over the havoc she has wrought in just the past few hours...

_Cloud...Oh, God. Not to mention Reno and Krysten...And Cid is going to _kill_ me for stealing the Bronco, that's if I'm not arrested and thrown under the jail for what I've done tonight..._

Any passer by would have mistaken her for the victim of an assault. Her tear-streaked face, bare feet, mussed hair, and tattered, blood-soaked clothing were a dead giveaway.

There would be no passer by, however, for she was miles from civilization. Miles away from anyone she knew, or anyone who knew her. It was she and her frantic thoughts only...or so she thought.

"Who's there?" The woman called out, thinking she heard someone call her by name.

There was no response, but the woman was now on her feet and preparing herself for a confrontation.

"Who's there? Yuffie? Shera, is that you?"

The voice she heard was distinctively female...

"...Anybody there?"

The woman began to accept that she was only hearing things, and sat down in the lotus position once again.

She was confused and frightened, but above that she was ashamed. In her opinion, what she had done was unforgivable. To make matters worse, she actually did not feel badly while she was doing those things. She in fact felt justified, and only recently came to understand the scope of her actions.

Part of her wanted to just go home and beg everyone's forgiveness, but how would she do that?

"You don't need their forgiveness..."

"Huh?"

This time, the young woman was certain that someone was speaking to her.

"You do not need their forgiveness."

"Who's there!? Where are you!?"

The woman shot up to her feet and took her fighting stance, whipping her head around in search of the body that housed the voice speaking to her.

"I am right here, Tifa."

"Where!? I don't see anybody!"

"Tifa, I am here. Simply focus."

"Focus? On what?"

"Just close your eyes, my dear."

"But...Okay, I'll try..."

Tifa slowly closed her eyes and allowed her mind to relax. Soon, she felt a warm presence around her, and a sense of peace washed over...

"I...I think I feel you..."

"Yes, Tifa. Allow me to touch you."

"Yes..."

Deeper into the lull of serenity Tifa fell. Her defenses were soon all but melted away, replaced by an unconditional trust of this presence that had wrapped her up in it's embrace.

"Now, as I was saying. You don't need anyone's forgiveness, Tifa. You're not at fault for what's been happening."

"I'm not?"

"No."

"You sound so sure...Look, I know what I did. You don't have to baby me. I'm a big girl and I have to face the music."

"You are noble if anything...Tifa, I should get to the point now. I must ask you to trust me. Can you?"

"Yes." Tifa answered with no hesitation.

"You say that so easily...I must ask a great favor of you, my dear."

"Yes, anything..."

"I require your physical body, Tifa, and I would very much like your blessing."

"...Wha?"

"I need your body."

"For what? Y-You can't just have my body."

"Do not be selfish, Tifa. I am already in control as it is. I merely wish for your blessing."

Tifa's feelings of peace and tranquility were instantly shattered and replaced by panic.

"N-No! You can't have my body!" Tifa shrieked in protest.

"Did I mention that I am in control even as we speak? I have made you act on my will numerous times already. Cloud, Krysten & Reno. Even Yuffie."

"...You made me do those things!? So _that's_ why I don't need anybody's forgiveness, because it was _you_ pulling the strings! You...You made me attack my own husband!?" Tifa screamed.

"I'm not as much the puppet master as you think, you know. Your will is more in sync with my own than you'd like to believe."

"...Don't you _dare_ imply I wanted to do those things myself!"

"Only partially, Tifa. Your will and mine are very much so in tune. You were not my idea of a host at first, but I've grown to rather like you. That is why I would appreciate your blessing, never mind that I do not need your permission to have control."

"You don't have my blessing _or_ my permission! Leave me alone! Get out of my head!" Tifa shouted.

"Tifa, do not be selfish."

"_Me!?_ You're the one who wants to possess me! How selfish is _that_!?"

"It's for a good reason, I assure you."

"I don't care! Get out of my head!"

"No. You will comply, whether you like it or not...Surrender to my will."

Suddenly, Tifa felt herself losing control. Her own thoughts were being overwhelmed by unfamiliar ones, and her ability to think new thoughts was being nullified rapidly. She could only cry as she felt her mind being suppressed, dominated by a will far stronger than that of a human.

"No...Please...Cloud, help me..." Tifa sobbed a heartfelt plea as the last shred of her own conscious was effortlessly kicked aside and replaced.

The young woman collapsed on the sand and lay there for only a few short moments. When she sat up, the woman held out her hands and allowed a smug grin across her face...

"...Tifa, I'm sorry for using such force to dominate you, but you were being particularly selfish...Now that I think about it, the name Tifa just won't do. It's too...ghetto, if you will. Not befitting a goddess at all. No, from now on my name shall be..."

----

"Foo'!"

Barret crashed into Cloud's room with a vengeance, making poor Yuffie leap out of her seat and spill the last remnant of the bad coffee she was drinking.

"What the hell!? Barret, what the monkey piss are you doing!?" She shrieked, looking at her newly coffee stained shorts in horror.

"This damn imbecile managed to mess everything up in just one goddamn week! How could you let--"

"No, Barret! I will _not_ let you do this to Cloud!"

Any other day, Yuffie would never in her wildest dreams stand up to Barret Wallace, a living mammoth amongst men. But on this night, Yuffie was simply not having it...despite the fact she was still afraid of Barret.

"You leave him alone! How dare you!? Don't you have any sympathy!?"

"I ain't got no pity fo' fools! Cloud, I told you not to let anything happen to Tifa, and you blew it!"

Cloud was more than aware of Barret's presence, but said nothing to defend himself...

"...I know, I blew it." He uttered in pitiful agreement.

"You useless ass screwup! You lucky you in that bed or I'd-""

"You wouldn't do anything, you big ape!" Yuffie shouted, spreading her arms in a protective stance.

"Who asked you anyway, you little no good thief? What the hell are you doin' here anyway? Gonna make sure Cloud stays put so you can loot his house? Yeah, I'll bet. You probably even hope the foo' _dies_ so you can take whatever you want."

Barret's words hit Yuffie like a freight train and cut her like a katana at the same time. With just forty-four words, Barret proved what Yuffie had suspected in the back of her mind, the evil suspicion that she forced down and never acknowledged: She was still just as much an outsider as the day she'd met the gang, and an untrustworthy one at that.

"That's not true...I don't hope...I'd never do that..."

"Barret, stop!" Cloud barked with the very last of his energy reserve. "Look, you can put me down and cuss me out all you want, but don't you touch Yuffie! She's done nothing but good tonight..."

"Cloud, stop! You're straining yourself!"

"Leave her alone..."

Again, Cloud lost his struggle to remain conscious. Only this time, he did not look as if he'd merely fallen asleep...

"...Cloud?"

"...Yo, Cloud?"

"Oh my God...Barret, you killed him!"


	38. Ziarre

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

----

Chapter #39-"Ziarre"

"You better thank your lucky stars he's okay, you big ogre." Yuffie scolded Barret as she entered the waiting room.

"I ain't do nothin' wrong. It's his own damn fault." the middle-aged man grumbled back, knocking a snack vending machine for effect.

"You're the one who barged in making a big goddamned fuss, Barret. You...You know what? I'm too tired to argue about it."

The young ninja helped herself to another cup of free (albeit terrible) coffee and sat in a chair that was situated in front of the room's television set.

"What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were playing in the dirt." Yuffie said, using the term that Cloud invented for Barret whenever he was handling things in Corel.

"I was, but somethin' told me to get over here. Somethin' told me that Cloud was gonna do somethin' stupid--"

"Barret, would you let it go? Even you can't seriously think this is all Cloud's fault."

"Everything's his damn fault."

"Oh, grow up."

Barret grumbled something that Yuffie could only hear the colorful parts of.

"...Look, are you gonna hang around here and be a nuisance or are you gonna go look for Tifa?" Yuffie asked as she curled her knees up to her chin.

"Hey, you don't tell me what to do. I'll leave when I get good and ready, you hear me?"

"Fine, then stay. Whatever."

"What the hell's yo' problem?"

"My problem? My _problem_ seems to be everybody else's problems, Barret."

"Hmph."

"...I'm just really worried. Cloud's a wreck, Tifa's missing _and_ gone batshit crazy..." Yuffie uttered as a stream of tears finally broke free from her grey eyes.

"Don't you go cryin' now. It ain't like we won't find her."

"It's not that, Barret. It's just that...We had a fight earlier, and I was so mad at her and the way she treated me...She's my best friend, you know? We weren't supposed to be fighting and pissed off at each other. Now I may never see her again."

"Shut up sayin' that shit!" Barret barked.

Barret was deeply unnerved, having been reminded of the broken friendship between he and Dyne that ended in tragedy.

"Look here, you're gonna see her again. And when you do, you're gonna make up with her. I'll make sure of that personally if I hafta."

"I think we'll manage on our own." Yuffie managed to chuckle.

"I don't know about Tifa. That girl's too damn stubborn sometimes...I'm too damn old to be runnin' around creation lookin' for people gone mad, but looks like I ain't got a choice."

"You're going?"

"Yeah, no use hangin' around here. You make sure Cloud don't do anything stupid, would ya?"

"You can count on me."

"Yeah...'Ey, I ain't mean what I said back there. You're a good kid." Barret grumbled.

"I accept." Yuffie said, knowing that was as much of an apology as she was ever going to get from one Barret Wallace.

----

"Krysten?" Andie spoke into her phone.

"Yes, Andie. I'm here." Krysten responded on the other end.

"Well, it's about damn time." Andie hissed, mindful of the sleeping children in the background at Yuffie's apartment. "Where the hell were you?"

"Huh? Pops didn't tell you what's going on?"

"I know what's going on. Do you?"

"All too well..."

On her end, Krysten was rubbing the aching shoulder that was courtesy of a Tifa tackle.

"Oh, well that makes it easier to say then. We're fucked."

"Royally." Krysten groaned.

"Now what?"

"I was kinda hoping you knew. I'm fresh out of 'now whats'. My plan was to find the materia and secure it. Mission failed, and with a beating for flourish."

"Beating?"

"It's nothing. Me and Reno got hammered by that bitch Tifa, but I'm okay."

"Oh my God." Andie gasped, feeling a pang of genuine concern for her sister.

"It's nothing, Andie. I'm better off than I could've been. Look, that's not important right now. What is important is finding Lockheart and separating her from the T.H.M...that is, if it's not already too late."

"What do you mean 'already'?"

"Well, the thrashing that Tifa put on me and Reno was pretty befitting of a budding goddess. Her power was incredible."

"So, you're saying the power of the T.H.M. has already taken her over?"

"Yes, Andie. You win a cookie. Good for you."

"Don't get testy with me, I'm not the enemy here."

"I'm sorry, Andie. I'm just really tired and in pain. Forgive me, will you?"

"Of course, yes...Kryss, are you gonna be okay? I can come over when I get a chance."

"You don't have to do that...I would like to see you in the morning though. There's work to do."

"Count on it."

"I'll see you then. Good night, Andie."

"Good night, Kryss."

Andie turned her phone off, and after a few moments it dawned on her that Krysten had not corrected her either of the times she called her Kryss.

"Oh, that's right. She didn't go 'my name is Krysten dammit'...I guess she didn't notice. Either that or, God forbid, we're actually getting closer...Yeah, right. That'll be the day"

"Closer to who?" a tiny, sleepy voice spoke up from behind Andie in the kitchen.

"Huh? Marlene? I thought you were asleep."

"Who are you talking about?" The ever curious child inquired once again.

"Oh, um...That was just my sister, sweetheart."

"You have a sister?"

"Yes, I have a sister."

"Why aren't you close to her?"

"Uh...Well, we didn't always know each other, honey. When we did finally meet, we didn't exactly start our relationship on good terms."

"So you hate each other?" Marlene pressed.

"Oh, no. No, we don't hate each other." Andie assured the curious little girl. "We started off being mad at each other, but we're starting to get along."

"Good. You and your sister should be close. I can only wish I had a sister, but Denzel's like my brother so at least I'm not lonely."

"Yes, you two get along very well...Marlene, if I may ask a somewhat uncomfortable question, what became of that young man's parents?"

"They passed away in the Sector Seven incident."

"Oh my God." Andie gasped.

"It was terrible. After they died, the poor guy got bounced around like a pinball, then got Geostigma to boot." Marlene spoke with the world-weariness of someone much older.

"Oh, no. That poor young man...But, he's okay now isn't he?"

"Yes, now. He's not bouncing around anymore 'cause Cloud and Tifa took him in...They were gonna adopt him for real after the wedding and be a real family...But now that Tifa ran away..."

Before Andie knew it Marlene hugged her around the waist and began crying. The young Neo-Cetra allowed it, for in her eyes she felt tears forming and daring to spill out. Unbenownst to either of them, Denzel lay awake while faking sleep, he too with tears threatening to come forth from his eyes...

----

"...Just like old times, yes Tifa?"

A woman that resembled Tifa Strife walked barefoot into Rocket Town...

"I remember coming here for the very first time...Oh, please forgive me Tifa. Your memories seem to be merging with my own. A side effect of our little partnership."

There was no one outside, not surprising given the late hour. This, however, did not stop the woman from proceeding to the inn and allowing herself entry...

"...Salutations?" The woman called to the empty front room. "Is anyone here? I wish to take a room."

Moments later, a kindly young woman came out to the front desk and was startled by the sight of a bloody, disheveled woman in tattered clothing.

"Oh, my God. Ma'am, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I realize I'm a mess, but I'm fine. I just need a room, if there are any vacancies."

"Oh...Um, I don't know. I don't want any trouble."

"I assure you, I don't have anybody following me."

"Um...Are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital or to the authorities?"

The poor girl's unwitting insolence was beginning to wear thin on the woman that resembled Tifa.

"Look, I won't stay if I make you so nervous. Just allow me to clean up and I will go."

"O-Oh, please don't take it the wrong way Ma'am. Um...It's rather late, you know. I suppose you can stay."

"Hmph."

"Name please?" The girl asked as she prepared to make the next entry in the guest book.

"Name? My name is...Ziarre."


	39. Stealing away in the dark of night

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7. I do this only for entertainment purposes. I do not make a dime from this.

----

Chapter #40-"Stealing away in the darkness of night"

After much arguing back and forth, Cloud had finally managed to convince Yuffie that he would be okay by himself for the night. His most convincing point in the argument was that Yuffie had left the kids with Andie, and she should be considerate and relieve her of that duty.

Which is what Yuffie did. She unlocked the door to her apartment, and was touched at what she saw: Andie, Marlene, and Denzel all asleep on the sofa. Not wanting to disturb the sleeping trio, Yuffie tried to tip-toe past the couch, but to no avail. She had woken Andie.

"Yuffie?"

"Crap. Sorry about that, Andie."

"No, I wasn't asleep. Just was resting my eyes."

"Oh...Well, I'm back now."

"How's Cloud?"

"He's okay, at least physically. He lost a great deal of blood, but he's stable."

"Thank God."

"For small miracles...His wife's still missing."

"Tifa...Yuffie, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but it looks like Tifa's been possessed by the true Holy materia."

"No shit?"

"No shit."

"...Somehow, I knew this day was gonna suck. I should've stayed in bed."

"So you could miss out on the fun? We wouldn't have it."

"You're too kind." Yuffie replied through an irresistible yawn.

"You should try to get some rest. Tomorrow's gonna be pretty busy."

"Ain't that the truth...You know, it's really late and you gotta be sleepy. You can stay here if you want."

"That's thoughtful of you, I'm not really tired. Besides, there's actually something I wanted to do."

"Oh...You mean now?"

"Yeah. I know it's late, but it's something I really want to do and I can't wait."

"I understand that, but what could you possibly want to do at this hour?"

"Have you met my mother, Lindsay Chiefstone? She lives in Mideel." Andie came back quick.

"...Okay, _you_. No need to get smart ass. Go do whatever it is you just _need_ to do in the middle of the night. You be careful, okay?"

"I will."

----

Half an hour since leaving Yuffie's apartment, Andie arrived at the hospital to do what she had felt compelled to do all night since the entire fiasco jumped off. Despite having never met him, she was able to convince the staff on duty that she was a friend of Cloud's and wanted to sit with him for a while. Given the bizarre nature of his case they complied, figuring it'd be best if he had a friend around overnight...

Andie peeked her head into his room ever so slightly, just enough to get a glimpse. As she had wagered, Cloud was asleep beneath a hospital issued blanket in a hospital owned bed.

"Cloud Strife...We meet at last."

Ever so carefully and quietly, Andrewella tip-toed toward the sleeping newlywed so she could get a better look.

"Oh, now I see why they call you Spike..." Andie teased as she sat in the chair once occupied by Yuffie.

The spikey-haired one slowly opened his eyes to see who was there, and if he was not fully awake before seeing her, he certainly was after.

"Aeris?"

"...No." Andie calmly replied. "My name is Andie."

"..."

For what seemed like an eternity, Cloud could only stare at Andie, soaking in her features, her scent, and the unbelievable resemblance...

"...So we meet again." He uttered.

"Hmm? Again?"

"Sorry. I've kinda seen you before, in Kalm. We've never met formally though."

"I see."

"...Vincent's daughter. I can see the resemblance."

"Word travels fast around this town."

"You could say that. What are you doing here?"

"I came to visit my father."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"I know. The truth is, I came to see how you were doing."

"I'm alive, no thanks to my wife."

"That too. I, um, came to apologize on her behalf."

"Why?"

"Because...She's not in her right mind and she didn't know what she was doing when she hurt you."

"Heh. There's the understatement of the year."

"...Cloud, you may not wanna hear this right now, but you have to know. Tifa's been possessed by the greatest power on this planet, the power of the true Holy materia."

"Huh? _True_ Holy materia? What's that?"

"To be brief, it's just that. The materia that Aeris had when she died was a stand-in. It was a dummy, if you will. The real Holy was supposed to be in her possession but at another location. However, it turns out that--"

"The necklace. It's on the necklace I bought her in Costa."

"Yes."

"Figures...I didn't know there was a such thing as the real Holy materia...But, how was Aeris able to summon Holy with a replica?"

"She didn't summon it with the replica. As the supposedly last Cetra, she had a bond with the true Holy materia. She could use it whether it were on her person or not. It's the only materia in eistence that can be used remotely like that."

"That's something I never knew...So tell me, how did such an important materia end up for sale on the beaches of Costa Del Sol?"

"The only thing I can say is, it must have been found by some unlucky person wherever Aeris had it stashed." Andie said, giving a shrug of the shoulders.

"Funny you say unlucky...Now that I remember, the son of a bitch couldn't get rid of it fast enough. He must have been being driven insane by then."

"To be sure...I wish my sister was here. She knows a lot more about this than I do."

"You mean Krysten, right?"

"Yeah...Even though I do have more Neo-Cetra siblings out there." Andie admitted with a slight chuckle.

"...I can't be stuck here like this. I need to find my girl...Andie, you gotta help me get out of here."

"Me? But, what can I do?"

"You can do this. Listen..."

----

"Nothing?"

"Not a damn thing. No sign of her or the Bronco."

Cid and Red have met back at the Highwind, joining Vincent and Barret, who boarded shortly before them. So far, their search for their missing friend has taken them to Kalm, Fort Condor, and Junon. All stops have proven fruitless...

"Where to now?" Barret asked none too politely.

"Right across the pond to Costa." Cid answered.

"This is takin' too damn long! We need to split up and fan out instead of goin' from town to town!"

"And just how the fuck do we split up? We only got one aircraft, thanks to Tifa!" Cid barked back.

"For want of a flying chocobo." Red halfway joked.

"Ha. Maybe in an alternate universe, but not this one pal. As it is now, this is the only means of rapid transportation we got, so deal with it."

"Man, we gotta stop lookin' with our asses and use our heads. Where would we go if we was Tifa?"

"Ooh, real scientific Barret. Think like a Tifa, ha." Cid ribbed.

"Screw you you old bastard!"

"What!? You're older than me, ya big ogre!"

"Oh, I'm 'bout to whoop yo' ass!"

"Bring it on--"

"People!" Red roared, immediately bringing pause to the building tension.

"That mothafucka started it." Barret grumbled.

"I do not care who started what. Can we please remember what we are doing out here? We are looking for our dear friend, who is in unimaginable trouble. I understand that we are all frustrated, but let us not allow that to cloud our focus."

"Cloud...That sorry bastard. This is all his fault."

"You cannot say that, Barret." Vincent spoke up.

"...Awright. Then it's yo' test tube kid's fault."

"I beg your pardon?"

Vincent instinctively motioned his shooting hand toward the holster, but was able to stop himself short.

"Barret, surely this is not the fault of Vincent's children, no more than it is the fault of Marlene." Red interjected.

"Hmph...Somebody's to blame for this, dammit...I always knew that girl was gonna get in trouble someday, but I never thought..."

Alone, Barret walked over to the banister and peered out into the night sky. Red eventually joined him...

"We will find her and bring her home, Barret. We will not fail her."


	40. Holy, Evil

Greener on the other side

by NihilisticAmbition313

Disclaimer:

A/N: I know it's been an awfully long time since I updated this story, and it was due to a lot of personal issues that demanded my attention. But, I am back and I will try my best to get this train back rolling.

----

Chapter #41-"Holy, Evil"

The Highwind had touched down outside of Rocket Town at around three A.M..

Cid, Barret, Red, and Vincent all embarked upon the quiet town which formerly housed an inactive rocket in search of Tifa. It was one of the last places that they could think of to search, and with time being of the essence, a slight hint of panic was begining to set in among the quartet.

Meanwhile, the young woman who resembled Tifa yet called herself Ziarre snapped from her slumber and shot upright.

"...So, your friends have come for you Tifa...Okay then, we'll play this their way. Let me see how well I can portray _you_..."

Ziarre swung her legs around from the matress and planted her bare feet on the floor, stood up, and began a fake disoriented walk toward the stairs of the inn.

"There she is!" Barret grunted, pointing at Ziarre with his human hand.

"G-Guys?' Ziarre breathed in an acted weary voice.

Barret met Ziarre halfway up the staris and led her back down toward the rest of the group where Cid was all to eager to lay into her about her little stunt.

"What the hell's the matter with ya!? Stealin' the Bronco and--"

"Yo, back up off her fool!" Barret boomed. "Give her a break! We got her an' that's all that matters!"

"Barret is right, Cid." said Red.

"My God...I've caused so much trouble." Ziarre wept.

"'Ey, it's all good Teef. Let's jus' get you home now ai'ght?"

"Yes please...I'm so sorry."

"Ah, we ain't the ones who need any apologies. Save it for your husband." Cid grumbled.

Ziarre had faltered in remembering what she had done to Cloud, but managed to make an excellent save as she gasped...

"Cloud! Oh my God, my poor Cloud! Oh how is he!?"

"In the hospital, but he ain't dead." Barret confirmed.

"Oh, thank the heavens...I am ready to go home now, guys."

"Let's go then."

_"Oh my God, you _suck_ at being me! I don't talk like that at all!"_

_"Oh, be quiet. I think it is an improvement. You should be more ladylike after all."_

_"You're gonna get caught you know! Cloud is gonna know I'm not myself and he's gonna--"_

_"He'll _what_? Hmm? Kill me? Or will he mope and brood like he is so good at?"_

_"You don't know anything!"_

_"We've already been over this Tifa dear. Your thoughts and memories are mine now. I can clearly see through your mind that you think Cloud is quite a weakling of emotions. Try as you may to build him up to be this great heroic man and try as you may to believe in him, part of you knows he is still a fragile little wastrel. Admit it. You can not hide from what's in your mind after all."_

_"Just shut up! Shut...up! Let me out of here!"_

_"Never. Fret not though. Soon your consciousness will fade away and you shall sleep eternally."_

_"No...I will fight you!"_

_"Yawn. Fight all you like, Tifa. You will only die tired."_

_"...I never though the Holy materia was nothing but pure evil..."_

_"I resent that remark. But, your words do not matter. You will soon be nothing more than a memory anyway."_

_"Arrrrgh! Damn you!"_

_"Hehehehe..."_

----

"...Good morning, sleeping beauty." Andie greeted.

"Andie?"

Cloud had awakened in his hospital bed to find none other than Andie sitting beside him.

"You're still here?"

"Yes I am. I told you I'd stay with you as long as you gave up that foolishness about busting out of here."

"Oh right..."

"Don't worry about Tifa though. My dad...Vincent and the others are out searching for her. Maybe they've even found her by now."

"God I hope...I can't keep laying here doing nothing. I'm gonna go insane."

"From what I hear you're already there." Andie teased with a lighthearted giggle.

"...Oh, aren't _you_ a real comedian? Who told you that?"

"I hear things. No, I'm only kidding with you."

"Don't trifle with a man in my position, Andie. It may prove fatal."

"Okay okay. I'm sorry Mister Grumpy."

"...You can go home now if you want. I'm pretty sure you wanna wash up and all that."

Andie brazenly sniffed her own armpits and was visibly disturbed by what she smelled. Cloud couldn't help but think how Aeris would have _never_ sniffed her own pits in front of other people, let alone him.

"I am a little ranky-danky aren't I?"

"Not that I said so."

"Hey, it is what it is...You'll be alright by yourself?"

"I'll get by. Go home, wash up, and get some rest."

"Um...Okay. But, I'll be back I promise." Andie said as she gave a Girl Scout salute.

"I believe you..." Cloud said as he closed his eyes.

Unable to fall back asleep, all he could do was think of Tifa. Andie had been a comforting distraction, but Tifa once again moved to the forefront of his mind. Cloud hated the fact that he was not out there searching for his beloved, but was hopeful that his friends had found her unharmed.

Several hours passed by when Andie returned to the hospital. She has changed into a purple sundress and a pair of white flip-flops.

"You're back."

"Of course I'm back. I said I'd be back, and I'm a woman of my word."

"Oh, I forgot you were a Girl Scout." Cloud chuckled.

"My mother insisted I joined. But, I have great news for you Cloud. Tifa has been found and brought back home."

For what he'd heard, Cloud sat straight up with his eyes wide open.

"They found her!?"

"Tes, in Rocket Town of all places."  
"Rocket Town? How the hell did she get to Rocket Town?"

"Apparently she stole that old guy Cid's plane and flew there."

"Damn..."

"Pretty wild eh?"

"I don't care about all that. All I want is to see my wife."

Why did Andie feel her heart sink just a little at that statement?

"I'm not so sure about that. Tifa's in a little bit of trouble for everything she's done."

"What? Where is she?"

----

"I'm tryin' to tell you ya fool, she ain't in her right mind!" Barret fussed at the seargeant in charge of the inmates at the Sector precinct.

"I'll say. Biting her own husband so bad he almost bled out, beatin' up two innocent people, and stealing an airplane, that don't say sane to me." The surly seargeant sneered.

"Sarge, we've got a problem!" a panicked looking officer said as she came bolting in.

"What is it?"

"Tifa Strife's gotten out of control!"


End file.
